


It's Not My Nature

by QuackTracks



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex adopted a kid, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Three years post break up, everyone is melty over Adalie, medium-burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 10:51:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12815961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuackTracks/pseuds/QuackTracks
Summary: “I hope I’m just like mama one day.”Eliza gave Alex a soft look, a look that said she was proud of Alex and Alex's daughter. Then she looked back to Adalie.“Why is that, Addy?”Adalie took her LEGO back and looked at it.“Because mama is strong and pretty. And she is nice. And she helps people. Everyone loves mama.”Alex wasn’t a crier, but the amount of times Adalie almost brought her to tears on a weekly basis seemed to be increasing. Eliza reached over and pressed her hand to Alex’s knee.“They do, don’t they.”Or the "Maggie and Alex+kid meet again in the future AU that people seem to be doing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo, so I've read several fics with Alex adopting a kid and I liked the idea, so I'm trying it out. Let me know if you're interested in reading more.
> 
> This is set three years in the future.
> 
> This is unedited.

Alex smiled, taking a moment to sit back and watch Kara as she picked up Adalie and swung her around, both of them giggling. It was a common sight for her, Kara and Adalie doing everything she explicitly told them not to do: ie. flying in her new house. It was definitely a fixer-upper, so the rule wasn’t very applicable until there were nice things to break, but she thought it best to put consistent rules in place for both Danvers girls. 

She looked around her new home, the space basically empty right now. They had a decent amount of room with the wooden floors being the only things ready in the home. The only rooms partially furnished were Adalie’s and her rooms. And that just consisted of their beds and all of Addy’s toys. She had sold her apartment furnished because the people buying had been willing to pay a decent chunk for her furniture, so now she was tasked with buying all new furniture. She had a plan to work her way through necessary items and repairs before finishing everything off. It was a tall order, but she wanted something she owned, something permanent. 

Alex stepped forward and made herself known, laughing when Adalie squealed and Kara quickly dropped to the ground, trying to look innocent. 

“Alex, I was just helping Addy smash a spider.”

Alex raised her brow.

“Are you teaching my child that lying is okay, Kara?”

Adalie giggled even as Kara blanched and shook her head.

“Definitely not.” She playfully leaned down and stage-whispered. “Addy, your mama is so scary.”

Adalie bounced on her toes several times before running to Alex, leaping into the air and landing in her arms.

“No she’s not, Auntie Kara!”

The front door opened and Lena walked through, phone in hand. She waved it apologetically.

“Sorry I’m late. I got a call on my way to the door.” She met Kara’s approach and kissed her softly before looking at Alex and Adalie with mischief in her eyes. “Guess what I got for the most mischievous girl in the world!”

Adalie shrieked and squirmed out of Alex’s arms. Alex rolled her eyes at the woman, but she waited to say anything while the daily game played out. 

Adalie came to a stop in front of Lena and pulled her shoulders back so she was standing as tall as her five year old self could. 

“Misch—mischvous— misch…”

Lena grinned, poking Adalie’s cheek.

“Want to say it with me?”

Adalie nodded eagerly.

“Alright, Monkey. Mis-“

Adalie pursed her lips.

“Mis.”

“CHi-“

“CHi.”

Lena smiled.

“Vəs.”

ˈVəs!”

Lena nodded encouragingly and spoke it slowly. 

“ˈMis-CHi-vəs.”

Adalie bounced excitedly and Alex and Kara laughed, the latter staring at Lena like she was the sole reason she lived. Adalie said it almost perfectly, and Lena pulled her into a tight hug.

“Good job, Monkey! Have you heard that word before?”

Adalie took several seconds to really think, shaking her head.

“I don’t remember.”

Lena laughed, running her hand through Adalie’s hair. 

“That’s okay. Mischievous means that you’re a little troublemaker.”

Adalie clapped once, turning to look at Alex.

“Mama, you call me Trouble.”

Alex smiled, nodding her head.

“I do. And now I can call you Mischief.” 

Adalie giggled and returned her attention to Lena expectantly. The gift-giving part of this exchange was less common, but Lena definitely spoiled her daughter. 

Lena stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out a tiny package containing two LEGO people. Adalie almost blew all their eardrums when she had it in her hands and saw what it was. She flailed like only kids could.

“It’s me, Auntie Lee. Look!”

Lena laughed and ruffled Adalie’s hair.

“I know, Monkey. Do you like it?”

Adalie threw herself into the CEO’s arms, squeezing her tightly. 

“Thank you!” 

Lena’s face took on that quality that was saved only for the people she loved dearly. Soft and awed and so overjoyed.

“You’re welcome, Addy.”

Adalie pulled away and ran to Alex, sticking the package in her face.

“Mama, look! Look! It’s me.”

Sure enough, the package contained a LEGO person customized with long, ash-blonde hair in a braid and bright blue eyes. She LEGO Adalie was wearing a suit that looked like Alex’s work gear. The name on the package said, Agent Adalie ‘Monkey’ Danvers. The name above the other one, simply said, ‘For a Friend.’ Like the word game that Lena started and Alex sometimes played as well, there was also a tradition they had whenever Adalie got a present on ‘normal days.’ Alex, not wanting Adalie to be too spoiled, had suggested that, if possible, Adalie always shared a part of the gift with somebody else. 

It had been been a little bit difficult to put in place, but after Addy had done it a few times, it was something she looked forward to almost as much as the gift. Lena had respected her wish as well, and she generally got a present that could be shared. The second LEGO person was Supergirl, and Alex rolled her eyes at Lena’s obvious favoritism. 

They hadn't told Adalie yet who Kara was, knowing that five-year-olds aren't the best at keeping secrets, but they takes about Supergirl so much that Addy had somehow started assuming that she was Kara’s favorite. Which meant, as Alex put two and two together, that Lena definitely wanted Kara to be the receiver of this part of her gift. 

And sure enough, as soon as Adalie had it open, she ran toward Kara and held the LEGO-her up to her.

“Here you go, Auntie Kay.”

Kara shot Lena an exasperated look, but she thanked Adalie excitedly and told her she'd keep it on her desk at work. Adalie smiled.

“It'll make you think of me and Auntie Lee.” Addy paused a moment, then gasped. “I mean Aunty Lee and I.”

Kara brushed her cheek, smiling.

“Actually, kiddo, you were right the first time.”

Adalie paused thoughtfully, her tiny face pinching in concentration and confusion.

“But that’s not the rule!”

Kara grimaced.

”I know. Sometimes English breaks the rules.”

Addy pouted, crossing her arms.

”But that does not make sense!”

Lena laughed at the predicament Kara got herself into. Alex smiled. She was pretty sure her child was going to be the smartest kid on the planet with these influences in her life. Kara blew out a breath.

“Can I show you later, Addy?”

Adalie thought for a moment and then nodded sagely. Shelooked at her LEGO replica and pointed toward the corner with her Legos while looking at Kara. 

“You want to play now?”

As Kara followed her over to the play area, Alex approached Lena and gave her a hug. 

“You are very sweet, Lena. You spoil her.”

Lena smiled softly when she pulled away, shrugging.

“I like doing things for her. I love to see her happy. And it reminds me who I am when things get difficult.”

Alex knew what Lena meant. Growing up in the family she did, dealing with the reputation and the constant scrutiny, she'd revealed to Alex once that sometimes she started to believe them. She gave Lena another hug. 

“You are the best person I know, Lena. Barring our resident hero because, I mean, nobody really beats a superhero.”

Lena smiled, eyes somewhat sad. Alex made it a point to ask her when they had some time what had been going on to cause it. She knew Kara would help her through whatever it was, but she made it a point to make sure Lena knew she was loved by more than just Kara; that she had friends who would have her back through everything. Her and Kara had only been dating a few months, but Alex knew they were it for each other, and she couldn't be happier for both of them. Lena squeezes her arm and the sadness leaves her eyes. 

“Alright, birthday girl, enough talk about me. Are you ready for the full force of the super friends to come upon you? I received word from Winn that he's going to try and show a slideshow of all of your worst photographs.”

Alex huffed, arms crossing.

“I’d like to see him try.”

Lena laughed and turned to head into the Kitchen.

“I thought I would get started on the food before everyone arrives. Kara will probably start eating the ingredients if we don't make use of them.”

“I heard that!”

Lena grinned, looking through bar-like area into the living room.

“You were meant to, dear.”

Despite the house not being finished, she had insisted that they have the party here so Adalie would have a good first memory at their new house. She trusted those invited to be in a place she didn't find perfect; or even close to it. It was going to be a group project to fix up anyway. Right now, the furnishings were relatively sparse, but she'd been ordered not to buy any furniture before her birthday. 

For the next thirty minutes, her and Lena chatted and prepared the food (mostly sides and desserts, the main course was coming in the form of everyone’s favorite barbecue place. Alex glanced across the room at her daughter and Kara playing with the LEGOs very intently. She leaned over to Lena at one point and nudged her.

“Interesting how Kara eats most of the food but somehow always weasels her way out of helping.”

Kara made a sound of discontent.

“Hey, Addy isn't helping either!”

At that, Adalie jumped to her feet and ran giggling to the kitchen.

“I will help!”

Lena and Alex laughed, the latter making a gloating face at Kara.

“Looks like my daughter is a better helper than you.”

Adalie bounced, cheeks red and eyes bright.

“I am, mama! What do I do?”

Alex lifted Adalie onto the counter and handed her a bowl with a spoon in it.

“Can you help mama stir?”

“Yep!”

She set about jerkily stirring the chocolate while Kara poured in the other room. Lena glanced over and laughed.

“Come on, baby, time to put that super strength to work.”

Kara huffed and stood, making her way through the room empty except for an old rocking chair and Adalie’s toys and into the kitchen. She immediately slid her arms under Lena’s and hugs her from behind. 

“How can I help you, Ms. Luthor?”

Lena blushed but leaned back easily into Kara’s chest. 

“You can cut the vegetables.”

Kara grimaced.

“But I don't like vegetables.”

Lena turned in her arms and kissed her cheek. 

“I know, dear. That's why I know you will actually successfully help rather than eating all our food.”

Kara narrowed her eyes.

“You think you're so smart.”

Lena grinned devilishly. 

“Of course. What do you think of my all my PhD’s?”

Alex watched with a large amount of happiness and a small pang of loss and sadness. She'd had that. With Maggie. She'd had that three years before and she'd loved that woman with everything in her; with every broken piece. They had put each other back together bit by bit, growing pains and trust issues galore. She'd thought at the time that Maggie would be her everything. 

Alex sighed as quietly as possible, but Kara heard everything. She turned, frown already present, looking like she was ready to apologize. 

“Alex--”

Alex held up her hand, the other resting on Adalie’s thigh to make sure she stayed up. 

“Don't, Kara. It's really okay. I didn't mean to--”

Kara interrupted this time.

“It doesn't matter if you didn't mean to show how you were feeling, Alex. I don't want you dealing with anything like that in your birthday.”

“Kara, you can't just stop acting happy for my sake. That's not what I want at all. Really, I just got caught up in it for a second.”

Kara stepped toward her.

“I just want you to be happy.”

Alex smiled at her. 

“I am happy, Kara. I promise. It was just a moment. I don't want to talk about it, okay? Everything is fine.”

Adalie reached out and tugged on Alex’s shirt.

“You sad, mama?”

Alex gave her daughter a genuine smile, bopping her on the nose.

“How could I be sad when you're around, baby girl?”

Adalie smiled, accepting the answer for truth and going back to her stirring. Alex felt bad for accidentally ruining the mood, but she was saved from trying to correct it when the doorbell rang loudly, falling into a screeching noise. Kara hissed and flinched, pointing at Alex. 

“I will be fixing that first.”

Alex chuckled, motioning for Kara to watch Addy as she walked toward her door, swinging it open to reveal Winn and James with their arms full of barbecue bags and two gift sacks. 

“Happy birthday, Alex!”

“Thank you, Winn. I’m glad you guys are here.”

The two men walked with their bags into the kitchen and set them on the counter before giving taking turns giving Alex a hug. She ruffled Winn’s hair.

“You need a haircut, dork.”

Winn gasped dramatically, getting in front of a grinning Adalie. 

“Addy, did you hear that? Your mama says I need a haircut!”

Adalie giggled, taking the spoon out and flailing it a little wildly. 

“That’s because you do, Uncle Winnie.”

Winn held his heart, his face twisting in a frown. He started playing with his hair, tugging on pieces.

“You know what, you’re right. I will shave off all my hair.”

Addy shook her head.

“Not all of it, silly!”

James patted Winn’s head.

“Yeah, stop being so silly, Silly.”

He slipped around Winn and put his hands on his hips. 

“What do we have here?”

Addy straightened up, eyes narrowing and body hunching as she tried to give her best strong-man pose while stirring. 

“Mama asked me to stir this bowl. My muscles are going to be bigger than yours soon.”

James jokingly tensed and gave his own strong-man pose. 

“Are you sure about that, missy?”

Addy giggled and held up the bowl.

“You stir the chocolate. It’s hard. It will make you stronger.”

James took the bowl and pretended to struggle, making strained noises and gasping. After a moment, he hands it back to Addy.

“You’re right. It’s too much for me. I’ll let you be in charge, kiddo.”

Addy had her best version of smug on her face when the bowl returned to her hands. Alex watched all of it with a bright smile and a warm heart. Despite her momentary slip up before, she truly was happier than she could have imagined during the darker period of her life. Her little family was her world, and they all loved Addy like she deserved. She heard the front door open again and turned to find Lucy walking in with a large box covered in paper. Despite her telling all her friends not to get her anything, they’d all decided to completely ignore her. 

“Lane is in the hizzle!”

Alex laughed.

“What have we said about talking about yourself in the third person?”

Vasquez follows in after with J’onn hot on her tail. 

“You know Lucy only listens to her own voice.”

Lucy rolled her eyes and flipped Vasquez off as she walked into the already crowded kitchen. Alex smacked her arm as she passed, and Lucy leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek. She then turned her attention to Addy. 

“My little terror, come give your best Aunt a hug.”

A chorus of disagreement sounded from every female in the room that wasn’t Alex. Kara held up a hand.

“I am technically the only one in the room that is her Aunt. I gain that title by default.”

Vasquez smirked and clapped Alex’s shoulder while looking at Kara.

“I mean, if default is the only way you can get the title, that’s a bit sad.”

Kara huffed and Lena squeezed her waist in amusement. Hellos were passed around by everyone, and J’onn wished Alex a happy birthday and waited for Addy to make her way over to him to say hello. He knelt down, Addy being the only one to always receive his gentle side whenever he spoke. 

“Hello, Adalie.”

Addy wrapped her arms around his neck and wiggled back and forth excitedly. 

“Papa John!”

The room snickered at the nickname Lucy had come up with once while ordering pizza as a group. Addy had never let it go. J’onn smiled at Alex.

“You excited to celebrate your mom’s birthday?”

Adalie nodded quickly, her bright smile aimed at Alex.

“Yeah! Mama is turning old.”

Alex huffed at the group laughter and crossed her arms playfully. 

“Excuse me, Trouble. I am not old.”

Addy put her own hands on her hips, giving Alex her stern face.

“Mama, you are turning thirty-five. Auntie Kara said so.”

Alex pointed at Kara.

“Auntie Kara is almost thirty-three.”

Adalie’s eyes widened as she looked at Kara.

“You are old too.”

Before anyone could get further into the debate, another ringing of the awful doorbell sounded. The door opened cautiously, and Eliza’s head popped in. 

“Helloooo, anyone home?”

Adalie yelped and ran toward Alex and Karas’ mother, jumping up into her arms.

“Grammy!”

Eliza huffed as Addy knocked the wind out of her, stumbling a bit and almost dropping the bag in one hand. She smiled and kissed Addy’s forehead.

“Hey, beautiful. It’s so good to see you.”

J’onn took the bag out of Eliza’s hand and Eliza walked with Addy toward Alex. Alex smiled softly at her mom, their arms wrapping tightly around each other. 

“Happy birthday, honey.”

Alex closed her eyes and settled into her mom’s arms.

“Thanks mom. I’m glad you could make it.”

Eliza pulled back and cupped her cheek.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Alexandra.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

It wasn’t long until the food was ready, Winn and James taking over from Addy and Alex so they could sit down on the floor and talk with Eliza. Alex apologized for the lack of furniture, but Eliza waved her off, saying that she was aware of the ban on Alex purchasing furniture. She caught her mom up on the month she hadn’t seen her, despite having talked with her on the phone several times. 

“Adalie is starting to read in school, isn’t that right, baby?”

Addy grinned and put her hands on her hips. 

“Yes! But mama showed me before. My teacher was im--impessed?”

Alex kissed the top of her head.

“Very close, love. Impressed.”

Addy nodded firmly and threw out her arms.

“Impressed!”

Eliza smiled.

“I bet she was. Who taught you impressed?”

Addy scrambled into Alex’s lap and kicked out her legs.

“Mama did. She told me she was imp-impressed because I skated my skateboard down the hill and didn’t fall off.”

Eliza reached out her hand for a high-five.

“Good job, Addy. I’m so proud of you.”

Adalie’s face was the picture of pride, and she wiggled from her mom’s lap to run to the LEGO’s. She came back with the presents Lena gave her earlier and held them out. 

“Auntie Lena gave me these earlier! And she taught me the word mischvous.”

Alex poked her side, causing Addy to giggle. 

“Mischievous.”

Addy nodded firmly. 

“Mischievous.”

Eliza took the two LEGO people and looked them over.

“A Supergirl and your mama…”

Addy shrieked.

“No, that’s me, silly!”

Eliza pressed her hand to her forehead in false surprise.

“Wow, you looked so much like her that I got confused.”

Alex’s heart warmed at the delight on Addy’s face.

“I hope I’m just like mama one day.”

Eliza gave Alex a soft look, a look that said she was proud of the her daughter and Alex’s.

“Why is that, Addy?”

Adalie took her figure back and looked at it.

“Because mama is strong and pretty. And she is nice. And she helps people. Everyone loves mama.”

Alex wasn’t a crier, but the amount of times Adalie brought her to tears on a weekly basis seemed to be increasing. Eliza reached over and pressed her hand to Alex’s knee. 

“They do, don’t they.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

Alex looked around at her little family, everyone stretched out on the ground of her new house, smiling and laughing loudly. Kara had Lena resting against her chest, sitting between her outstretched legs. They were sitting adjacent to Winn, the two discussing something that Kara obviously doesn’t understand. Her sister didn’t seem to mind at all, her chin resting on Lena’s shoulder and her arms tight around her waist. 

James was sitting with Eliza and Vasquez, chatting amicably and interacting with Addy anytime she turned away from her LEGOs. Alex was beside Lucy, and the normally abrasive and humorous woman was smiling at Addy across the room. 

“You got a good one there, Alley Cat.”

Alex watched her daughter acting out something with her LEGOs that only she knew.

“I know. She's everything. I can't even imagine my life without her.”

Lucy reached over and squeezed Alex’s hand. 

“I know this is a big change in some ways. I mean, you're an actual adult now.”

Alex laughed.

“So one is only an adult when they have a house?”

Lucy stuck a jalapeño popper in her mouth and grinned.

“That's my definition. Hence, I shall never be an adult.”

Alex snuck a few crackers from Lucy’s plate.

“You think you're so clever.”

Lucy winked, but the ringing of the doorbell had the entire room freezing in anticipation. The entire room except Alex and the simply curious Adalie that was. Kara squealed excitedly, and Lena patted her thigh. Eliza stood up, meeting Alex’s confused gaze.

“Looks like it's present time.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed as she glanced around the room.

“What did you guys do?”

Lucy pushed herself up, taking a moment to pull Alex up as well. 

“Come on, birthday girl. We need to clear the living room.”

James picked Adalie up and swung her around, stage-whispering.

“Remember how we said your mama’s presents were coming after dinner?”

Addy nodded, looking at the door.

“They are here now?”

Eliza grinned and pulled open the door.

“They are, cutie.”

Adalie clapped.

“What are they?”

As she finished her question, somebody’s back moved slowly through the door. The edge of a large, beautiful chocolate-brown couch. Alex’s mouth dropped open as the other side was carried in, followed by another, smaller couch of the same color. After them came a long, dark wooden table, then a man carrying a rolled up rug. Unbeknownst to Alex, James had snuck outside and he walked through the door with four cans of paint. 

The men with the couch that had gone back out and they followed James in with a television stand made of the same color wood as the table. 

Alex watched with a gaping mouth, unsure what was happening or what to say. Several boxes of various sizes followed after them, after a few trips, the men went over and shook Lena’s hand, smiling kindly and waving at the rest of them as they left, closing the door behind them. Alex had no idea what she could even say, and she didn’t realize she was crying until Kara wrapped her in a tight hug and spun her around slowly.

“You deserve all of this and more, Alex.”

Alex clung to Kara tightly, so completely overwhelmed and confused that she just let her sister soothe it all. After a few minutes, Kara let her go and Alex wiped at her eyes. 

“How--what? I don’t even know what-- Thank you guys-- How is this possible?”

Eliza walked forward and cupped Alex’s cheeks..

“You and Adalie sat down and planned this all out two months ago when you found this house, sweetheart.”

Alex remembered. She’d picked out four relatively calm colors for Adalie to choose from when she told her they were moving. She wanted her to be a part of the decisions and not feel like she was being uprooted again. Addy had ignored the four offered colors and had chosen the light blue color Alex had left out on the counter of their kitchen, and that had been that. 

She’d planned on a black leather couch and some muted tones, but Addy’s choice had changed that direction. Still, this was too much; way too much.

“You guys, this is way too much. I can’t take all of this.”

Lena shook her head, stepping forward to grip Alex’s hands.

“I promise you, this wasn’t as much as you’re thinking.”

Alex shook her head, eyes slightly wide.

“Even one of these items would have been too much, guys.”

James stood tall after setting the paint on the ground and wiping his hands together. 

“We all have a lot of connections, Alex. And we all have jobs that pay well and we can afford this. Cat sends her regards too, by the way. Honestly, we wanted to help you and Adalie get on your feet here, and this was the best way to do it. This is a no-refund present. Besides, I think Adalie would be upset if you took the couches away.”

The group all turned to see Adalie laying out on one couch with her two LEGO figures in hand as she swung them in the air. Alex felt like her heart had expanded too big for her chest the way it beat for her family. These people would be with her through thick and thin, and she felt so loved in this moment that she wished she could express that without losing all street cred she’d ever had. 

She didn’t know who to hug, so she just grabbed the closest person to her, which happened to be Lena at that point, and Kara and the rest closed in around her. 

“Thank you guys so much. I don’t even have the words to tell you how grateful I am. You are all the best friends I could have asked for.”

They’d only been embracing for a few seconds before Adalie squirmed her way into the middle.

“I want to hug too!”

Alex picked her up and held her tight.

“Of course you do, trouble.”

Everyone closed back in around her and Addy, her little girl giggling and wiggling around in her arms.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys asked me to continue, so here is chapter two. It is a bit angsty and a bit of exposition, but it sets up the rest of the story. 
> 
> Thank you to all who commented, and especially to those who helped me correct and error in chapter one. I'm always open to critiques and comments because they make me a better writer.
> 
> This is unedited.

The party began to wind down around eight, Vasquez and J’onn having left around six-thirty to get back to the DEO. As they had left, everyone had waved and yelled with Addy,

“Bye, Papa J’onn!”

Addy had thought it was the funniest thing, actually rolling on the ground and giggling her heart out. James had left soon after with a promise to come by the next weekend and help paint the living room. 

The rest of the remaining were sitting on the couches, Alex on one with Adalie’s arms and legs wrapped around her and her little girl’s head on her shoulder. Winn had opened a one of the several unopened boxes and started assembling a tall shelf. Kara was next to him, building a bookcase and poking fun at him for how slowly he was moving. 

Eliza was sitting on the rocking chair, her eyes moving from Kara to Winn in obvious amusement.

Lucy and Lena were on the couch beside Alex, and all three were grinning as they watched Winn try and complete his project before Supergirl built her bookshelf. Lena was cheering him on.

“Come on, Winn, you got this.”

Kara took a moment to meet Lena’s eyes and make a face.

“Excuse me, I do not appreciate your obvious favoritism for this nerd.”

Alex, Lena, and Winn gasped playfully. Alex careful not to wake Addy when she spoke.

“Excuse you, don't use nerd in such a derogatory manner. It is a title of the highest honor.”

Lena pulled her knees to her chest and smirked.

“You are currently in a room predominated by nerds. I wouldn't take that route.”

Lucy leaned forward, finger up.

“Hold up, I am not a nerd, and Kara is Supergirl and not a nerd. And technically, Kara is three people. So really, it's four to four.”

Winn frowned.

“Um, how so?”

Eliza smiled, tilting her head at her daughter and holding up a finger.

“One, you have my daughter, Kara Danvers.”

Alex held up a second finger. 

“Two, you have Supergirl, the city’s resident hero and idol.”

Lena’s eyes were soft as she studied Kara, holding up three fingers.

“Three, you have the daughter of Krypton, comprising both identities, Kara Zor-El.”

Kara looked down, cheeks flushed, and Lucy quickly ruined the sincerity of the moment by fist pumping.

“Heck-to-the-yes!”

Alex laughed, but she cleared her throat.

“While my lovely sister may have gained the non-nerd side three points, you all are forgetting the best nerd.”

Winn glanced at her, then his eyes shifted down to Addy. He whooped quietly.

“Yes! Adalie for the win!”

Kara fell down in dramatic defeat.

“So young and yet so powerful.”

Lucy huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

“That’s not fair. You can't use the munchkin to win an argument.”

Lena smirked triumphantly, nudging Lucy’s thigh with her own.

“How does it feel to be beaten by a five-year-old, Lane?”

Lucy leaned forward and looked at the sleeping girl.

“Honestly, it’s a non-negotiable win. Addy will always trump all.”

Alex kissed the top of her daughter’s head.

“Of course she will.”

The sound of a phone going off had Lucy contorting to pull her phone from her pocket. She glanced at it and sighed.

“Duty calls, dufuses.”

She stood, arms stretching over her head, before she made the rounds and said goodbye. She came to Alex last, smiling softly, sincerely. 

“Love ya, birthday girl. Let me know if you need anything at all, okay?”

Alex smiled, head leaning against the cushion.

“Thank you, Lucy.”

Lucy rested her hand against Addy’s back for a moment before heading toward the door. Winn finished up his project, having used Kara’s distraction to keep going. He held up his hands.

“I claim victory!”

Kara’s eyes widened and she looked back at her almost-completed bookshelf, then back at Winn. She sighed dramatically.

“Ugh, fine. Only because I wasn't using super speed.”

Lena smirked.

“Don't be a sore loser, dear.”

Winn had a smug look on his face as he stood up and did a little jig. 

“On that note, I'm gonna head home.” He hugs Kara and Eliza before turning back to Alex. “Let me know if you want me to put in a state-of-the-art security system, complete with a retina scanner and DNA reader.”

Lena and Alex laughed, though Lena was the one to point out what they both noticed.

“No need for a retina scanner if it scans DNA.”

Eliza came to Winn’s rescue.

“It could be for appearances. To trick any watching into thinking that that’s all they need to get inside.”

Alex rolled her eyes.

“Okay, Jesus. Firstly, I'm glad all they'd think to do is take out my eyeball. Secondly, I don't need any kind of scanner to get into my house, thank you.”

Winn shrugged, leaning down to hug Lena. Then he smiled at Alex.

“Fine by me. Happy birthday, Al.”

“Thanks, Winn. I'll see you at work on Monday.”

“See you then.”

He disappeared out the door, leaving Kara, Lena, and Eliza. 

Kara made a sound of triumph as she fitted the last screw in. She easily lifted it and moved it out of the middle of the floor. There were still several unopened boxes and the smaller presents Alex had opened those earlier from each specific person resting against or by the counter. That had been a relatively amusing and humiliating experience for Alex. She’d argued at the beginning that they’d already all spent too much, but they’d quickly shut her down by claiming that those were “housewarming presents.”

Lena and Kara had gotten her an expensive coffee maker for Alex’s addiction. Winn had given her several modified trackers to fit to things Addy seemed to lose around the house. That was something everyone seemed to find so very hilarious. Adalie had been the reason many times that Alex didn’t know where her keys were, or her sunglasses, or her shoes, or literally anything she left out that Addy found interesting. 

James had printed and framed four of the most beautiful photographs she’d ever seen. One of Addy as she laughed, sitting right next to a laughing Winn. Both had mud all over their cheeks and hands and clothing, an equally dirty golden retriever laying across both of their laps. That day, they’d been walking in the park in the rain- Adalie loved the rain to everyone else’s chagrin- and a young teenager had asked for their help finding a dog. 

By the time they found it, the rain had stopped, but Winn and Addy, the two most vigorous hunters, were thoroughly coated. 

The second photo was a picture of Kara with Addy on her shoulders. Both were grinning excitedly, Adalie’s hands in the air. In the background, Alex and Lena were watching in amusement. 

The third was a photo of the back’s of Alex and Eliza as they swung Addy between them on a curry street.

The fourth was a photo of the entire group in Golden State Warriors gear. Not all of them were Warriors fans, but the deal had been that if the Warriors made it to the NBA Finals (which, duh), everyone would wear the gear. Addy looked adorable with pig-tails and a too-big jersey. It was too cute, and Alex planned on putting all of them up on her wall once the painting had been done. 

Eliza had been a mom and gotten Alex very practical things. New pots and pans that she said were better for cooking and didn’t have scars and scratches in the bottom of them like Alex’s. They were definitely nicer than her own.

J’onn and Vasquez told her that their presents were better opened at the DEO. 

Lucy had grinned so sadistically when handing Alex her box. She really should have known not to open it. To be fair, a part of the present was very nice. She’d gotten her a new carbon fiber motorcycle helmet with Bluetooth speakers. The embarrassing piece of the present had fallen out of the helmet as soon as Alex lifted it. Lucy had gotten her a fucking dildo. Alex had tried to hide it, but using her x-ray vision, Kara had shared with the whole room what it was. 

Lucy thought it was the funniest thing possible on the earth, and she’d been laughing for a solid fifteen minutes about it before finally calming down. 

The last one to give presents was Addy. She’d excitedly told everyone she was going last. And she’d placed two awkwardly shaped and poorly wrapped packages in front of Alex. She had quickly taken it back and told her she would unwrap it for her. 

She’d torn the paper off and proudly handed Alex a conglomeration of LEGOs. She’d told her that it was a spaceship ‘just for mama and nobody else unless mama invited them.’ Alex had thanked her profusely. Addy has wiggled and ripped open the second present, revealing to Alex a crumpled up ball of papers. Addy started unwrapping it, revealing pictures on each page that she’d drawn. 

“I wrapped them up to trick you! You didn’t know they were pictures!”

Alex had pulled Adalie into a tight hug, amused and impressed. She was going to have a difficult time with Addy as a teenager. 

Not even thirty minutes after presents, Adalie had climbed into Alex’s lap and fallen asleep against her. It was one of Alex’s favorite things in the world, having Addy snuggled up against her. She’d chosen to keep her with her instead of taking her up. 

Now, she knew it was time to take her upstairs. 

“I’ll be right back down. I’m going to put Adalie to bed.”

Alex slowly stood from the couch, trying to keep Addy from waking up. The climb up the steps was still new, as she hadn't lived in a place with more than one level in a long time. It was weird in general that she had a house of her own. 

When she reached the top floor, she turned to her room instead of Addy’s, knowing that her daughter would be scared if she woke up in the middle of the night in such a new place. They'd only been there a few days, and Addy had spent most nights in Alex’s bed. 

She opened the door to her room and gently pulled back the covers to lay Adalie down. Addy’s eyes opened, blinking tiredly.

“Mama?”

Alex knelt by the bed as she pulled the blankets back up, tucking them under Addy’s chin.

“Yeah, baby girl?”

“You come too?”

Alex smiled, brushing Adalie’s bangs from her face. 

“Very soon. You going to be my brave girl for a few minutes while I go say goodbye?”

Addy started to push at the covers. 

“I say bye too.”

Alex chuckled, gently pulling them back under Addy’s chin.

“You will see them soon, honey.”

Adalie pouted, but it soon morphed into a yawn. Alex knew she'd be out within a minute or less. She kissed her daughter’s head and quietly left the room. When she reached the living room again, Kara and Lena were talking with Eliza by the door. They turned to her as she rounded the corner, and Kara stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. 

“I love you so much, Alex. I can still hear you from my apartment, shout if you need anything at all.”

Alex squeezed her sister tighter. 

“Thank you, Kara. I will. I love you too.”

As soon as Kara pulled away, Lena took her place. 

“Happy birthday, Alex. I'll see you soon.”

Alex smiled. 

“Thanks, Lena. See you soon.”

Lena followed Kara out the door and Eliza watched a moment before closing it behind them. Her warm gaze fell on Alex.

“How are you feeling?”

Alex took a deep breath and let it out, chuckling a bit. 

“Incredibly loved. A little overwhelmed. Excited?”

Eliza nodded in understanding, tilting her head with a smile. 

“You are incredibly loved. You deserve everything and more. I'm glad your friends know that.” She ran her fingers through Alex’s auburn locks. “And it's okay to need help. It's okay to not always be okay; to not always be the one supporting other people.”

Alex’s shoulders slumped a bit and she nodded, letting her mom pull her into a hug. They stayed there for a few minutes, Alex being reminded how glad she was that her and her mom made up. When she pulled back, she was smiling. 

“Adalie is in my room tonight, and her bed is all made up for you.”

Eliza nodded, but she gave Alex a questioning look.

“Are you sure it's alright if I stay? I don't want to step on your toes or mess up any routine you're setting with Addy.”

Alex squeezed her mom’s elbow. 

“I'm sure. Addy will be so happy that you're still here in the morning.”

Eliza grinned, tapping Alex’s chin playfully. 

“Can I make you breakfast?”

Alex chuckled.

“I see why you got me such a nice cooking set. You planned on using them yourself.”

Eliza slapped her arm playfully.

“Stop it. I got them because yours were unacceptable.” She nodded toward the steps. “Come on. Let’s get some sleep.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

Alex woke up the next morning to a pressure on her stomach and sides. She opened her eyes to find Addy staring down at her from her seat upon Alex. She leaned in close, eyes wide, and whispered loudly.

“You awake, mama?”

Alex closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Nope, still sleeping.”

Addy giggled, her hands resting on Alex’s shoulders. 

“Yes you are! You're talking.”

Alex stuck out her tongue but didn't open her eyes. Adalie squealed again, poking Alex’s tongue. Alex spluttered and opened her eyes to find her daughter smiling widely. 

“Ew, mama!”

Alex shifted quickly, spinning them so Addy was on the bed, and her daughter giggled. She pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

“What do you mean, ew?! I'm not ew!”

Adalie laughed and squirmed and tried to escape Alex’s arms. Alex tickled her stomach and Addy laughed harder. 

“Mama! Mama, stop it!”

Alex smirked and wrinkled her nose. 

“Say I'm not ‘ew.’”

Addy screeched and grabbed Alex’s cheeks.

“Okay! I say it!” 

Alex stopped moving, waiting with narrowed eyes. 

“I'm listening….”

Adalie gave her best serious voice.

“Mama, you are not ‘ew.’l

Alex smiled and released her daughter, motioning to the bathroom. 

“Good, Trouble. Go brush your teeth and we’ll go see what Grammy is making you.”

Adalie scrambled to the bathroom and turned just before closing the door. 

“Mama.”

Alex glanced up from the bed and raised a brow. 

“Yes?”

Addy had the mischievous eyes she got when she knew she’d get away with something. 

“You are ‘ew!’” 

The door slammed and locked, Adalie giggling, after Alex made an exaggerated gasping noise. 

Alex waited patiently while her daughter brushed her teeth and used the bathroom. When she heard the sink shut off the third time, she hid back under the covers. The door opened and she heard Adalie pad across the floor. The bed dipped.

“Mama?”

Alex smiled but kept her head under the blankets. Addy tried to tug it off, but she couldn't. 

“Mama! What are you doing?”

Alex sighed loudly. 

“It looks like I have to stay under the covers forever because I am ‘ew.’”

Addy yanked on the blanket.

“Noooo. You have to come out. Your teeth are dirty too!”

Alex made a noise. 

“Uh, uh. I'll be here forever. Tell Grammy I love her.”

Addy got really close and tried a different approach. 

“Mama.” She whispered. “I was just teasing. You are so pretty and nice.”

Alex pulled the blanket from her face quickly, surprising her daughter. 

“You promise?”

Adalie laughed and nodded her head.

“Can we go downstairs now?”

Alex smirked and agreed, quickly brushing her teeth and returning to Addy. She held out her hand, and both made their way down the steps. Near the bottom, Addy paused and let Alex go first. 

“Can I try the third step today?”

Alex turned around.

“If you want to. Are you afraid?”

Addy looked the distance between her feet and the landing. She shuffled around, giving her mom a look. 

“Only a little.”

Alex smiled.

“Go ahead, Addy. And it's okay if you decide you're not ready.”

Addy took a deep breath, focusing on the ground below her. She did this every day now after overhearing a conversation between Alex and Winn about the latter going skydiving. She'd tried to tell him to face his fears, and Addy had been very curious. After a long explanation with an extraordinary amount of questions, Addy had shyly whispered that she was afraid to be up high. She told Alex that the steps scared her. She'd also asked how she could face it like Alex had said. 

That led to this new routine. At first, Alex had started her on the second step, gently lifting her and setting her on the ground. Sometimes Addy would climb back and ask to go again. Then she'd just held Adalie’s hands. Then she held one hand. The past day and a half, Addy had been jumping down the two on her own. Today was the first time she ever asked to go higher. 

Just as she was about to jump, she turned and grabbed the railing. 

“It's too high.”

Alex smiled encouragingly. 

“That's alright, Adalie. We can try again some other time. Second step?”

Addy looked sad, but she nodded. Slowly moving down one step and then holding out a hand. 

“Hand?”

Alex reached out and held her hand. 

“Of course.”

Addy jumped and landed in a crouch, the threw her arms up. Alex picked her up and spun her once.

“Good job, brave girl.”

Alex walked them into the kitchen, meeting her mom’s gaze. 

“Morning, mom.”

Eliza smiled at both of them.

“Morning. Do eggs sound good?”

Alex set Addy on the ground and reached up into the cabinet to get three plates and three cups. 

“Sounds great. Thank you.”

Addy clapped her hands and moved in closely to Eliza’s side.

“I love eggs. Can I help?”

Eliza ruffled Addy’s hair.

“Be careful, honey, the stove is very hot. You can help me in a couple minutes.”

Addy frowned and crossed her arms.

“Help now.”

Alex met Eliza’s eyes, both women looking a little surprised. Then Eliza smirked and pointed her spatula at Alex.

“She's starting early. Just like you.”

Alex dropped her head and feigned a sigh. Eliza knelt down and looked in Addy’s eyes.

“Adalie, you may help in a few minutes.”

Adalie grumbled in annoyance.

“But I'm ready now.”

Alex straightened up. 

“Adalie.”

She used a very toned down version of her agent-voice, a voice she'd only ever used with Addy a couples times. It had a similar effect each time. Addy slumped her tiny shoulders and faced Alex, eyes down. Alex knelt in front of her and touched her jaw. 

“Look at me, Trouble.”

Addy glanced up, and Alex gave her a serious look. 

“Grammy said no. You need to respect her and listen to her.”

Addy huffed and made a face. 

“But why?”

Alex hid her surprise. She'd never gotten that question before. 

“What do you mean, Addy?”

Adalie looked away like she might get in trouble. 

“At school, we have visitors that come in. A firefighter named Mr. Tank comes sometimes, and a hospital lady named Dr. Blue, a police lady named Miss S, and a soccer player named Mr. Po. They talk to us sometimes, and they even sit with us at lunch.”

Alex waited patiently to see where this led. She knew her daughter's preschool was asking people in professions that kids thought were cool to teach something every week. They'd sent an email about it before it started. Addy took a breath. 

“Well, Miss S told us at lunch that we shouldn't always listen to what people tell us.”

Alex frowned. 

“Why did she say that, Addy?”

Addy shrugged. 

“She said that we have to trust our...in-insincts?”

“Instincts.”

Addy nodded.

“She told us that. She said that sometimes things that people tell us, even old people, aren't true.”

Alex hummed, glancing up to find her mom shrugging, then smiling back down at her daughter. 

“Did she tell you what instincts are?”

Addy made a face.

“She said they were a feeling. She said that we are suppose’ to ask questions.”

Alex hadn't necessarily planned on explaining why she or anyone else deserved or didn't deserve respect over breakfast that morning, but she figured then was as good a time as any other. She tried to figure out how to put it in terms Addy might understand. 

“Come sit with me, honey.” Alex let's Addy climb into the chair beside her before speaking. “Do you remember when we talked about trust?” Addy nodded. “Can you tell me what I said?”

Adalie hummed.

“You said that trust means we tell the truth.”

Alex smiled. These were big concepts, even for a kid as smart as Addy. 

“That is true. So if you break something, and I ask you what happened. You can tell me that you broke it, which means you’re telling the truth. Or you can say you didn't, which is telling a lie. Trust means that I think you will tell me the truth.”

Addy nodded. 

“I always tell you the truth.”

Alex chuckled and smiled at her daughter.

“You do, and I'm always proud of you. Now, do you know what respect means?” 

Addy nodded her head slowly. 

“Respect is listening.”

Alex smiled.

“That's kind of it, but it's really more about how a person makes you feel, and how a person treats you. So, does Grammy make you feel happy and treat you nicely?”

Addy nodded quickly and Alex pushed on, unsure whether Adalie was fully grasping the it. 

“Do you trust Grammy?”

Adalie nodded again and Alex smiled.

“So, because Grammy is older, and she treats you nicely, and she makes you feel good, you show her respect. Do you understand?”

Addy nodded, and Alex held up a finger, not wanting her daughter to think anyone could fall under this test of showing respect. 

“But, what have I told you about strangers?”

Addy sighed like she had to say this every day. Which she did. 

“You told me not to talk to strangers ever unless you, or Auntie Kara, or Grammy, or Auntie Lee, or Uncle Winn, or auntie Lucy, or auntie Susan, or uncle James, or papa J’onn are with me.”

Alex laughed and nodded proudly.

“Exactly.” She reached over for Addy’s hand and squeezed it. “But if you don't know something or you have a question, you can always ask me, okay? I will tell you everything I can.”

Addy bobbed her head, and Eliza chose that moment to come over and set their plates down.

“Now that we’ve had that big talk, who is hungry?”

As Addy waited impatiently for her scrambled eggs, Alex leaned back in her chair and huffed out a breath. God, that was exhausting. She thanked her mom as she gave her a mug of coffee from the new machine and gave her a look that said, “holy shit, motherhood.” Eliza snickered and sat on the other side of Alex across of Adalie. 

“So, Addy, what are you reading with your mom this week?”

Adalie”s eyes brightened.

“It's called ‘Red Fish, Blue Fish!’”

Eliza smiled at her.

“Do you like it?”

Addy nodded her head quickly.

“Yes! Have you read it?”

“I did a long time ago, but I forgot. Can you tell me about it?”

Alex silently thanked her mother as she dug into her omelette, listening as Adalie recounted the events of the book.

~<€~<€~<€~<€

The rest of the day, Alex graciously agreed to let Eliza take Addy to the park so that she could start working on the house. She pulled out old sheets she'd collected from her friends and used them to cover her brand new furniture and gifts. She also moved everything away from the walls and placed sheets along her hardwood floors. Next, she taped along the square of the bay window and along the trim. 

After that, she changed out of her pajamas and slipped into a ratty t-shirt and sport’s shorts, preparing to spend the next several hours painting. She opened all the windows on the bottom floor, trying to ignore the two empty rooms she had to figure out what to do with. Apartments were easy. You had a limited amount of space and it always seemed like you needed more. Here, Alex was just trying to fill one room at a time. 

It was nice to finally be alone for a few hours. It wasn’t even Addy that she was glad to have a break from. It was the non-stop checking in from her friends as they “tried to help her” through her most recent break-up. 

Alex popped the first can of paint open and stirred it with the provided wooden stick. She unpackaged a tray and slipped a plastic cover on top before pouring in a little paint. After coating the roller in the base coat, Alex started to work. To her frustration, it was a mindless task, and she could think about was how royally fucked up she was.

It had seemed easier to tell everyone that it just didn’t work out between her and Jen, that things just didn’t progress like they should have. It had been a lie for sure, but it was easier than saying that nothing ever felt as good with her as it did with Maggie. It had been three years since she last saw her, the Detective moving to work in Metropolis because she’d told Alex she couldn’t see her every week on a case. It had sucked, it had felt like her chest cavity caved in on itself. But she’d poured herself into work so much that she never had time to think.

And then a year later, Alex had been called to help after an attack on a rally supporting Alien rights. She’d spent the better part of the night trying to save aliens and humans alike whim Kara and J’onn trailed and captured the attacker. Many died that day, and as Alex had jogged through the mangled park, she’d found a baby stroller with loud cries screaming from it. She’d searched for the little girl’s mother for hours, keeping the child in her arms after checking her over to keep her from crying. Her mother had been confirmed dead two hours after the attack, and as Alex saw it, the rest was history. 

It had been a massive adjustment. Bigger than any in her life, really. Taking care of another human that relies solely on you is a monumental task. But Eliza had moved in with her for three months to help out, and the rest of the super friends had fallen head over heels for Adalie. 

So after grieving and not being able to move on from Maggie for a year, to having her live consumed with such a beautiful blessing, Alex didn’t even attempt to date until this year. It hadn’t been awful. In fact, the first person to ask her out to dinner had been a paramedic, Trish, she’d met on the job. They had a good time on the first date and the second. And on the third, Kara had watched Addy, and Alex had had sex for the first time in almost two years. It had been strange for her, having Maggie be this guiding force in helping Alex get to know herself and her own body to having a woman that wasn’t her between her thighs. She’d come, and she’d made Trish come, and they’d dated for a month before both realized something: Alex was holding back; not physically, but emotionally. 

They’d had a few arguments about it until Trish had signed out with a ‘call me if you decide you’re ready to give it a real go.’ Alex was glad she hadn’t introduced the woman to Addy, and it confirmed that a three month rule would apply. She had to date somebody for a least three months before they ever saw her daughter. 

At the time, Alex had pushed away what seemed very obvious. Two months later, when things ended at three weeks with a lovely woman she'd met at a function of Lena’s, Alex had started to question herself. Rosalie had ended it for the same reasons as Trish, although she didn't offer herself for future consideration. Alex had tried to come up with some kind of explanation that made it a mutual fault between her and the other women, but every time she came to the same conclusion: they were not Maggie. They didn't have too-cute dimples and they didn't have that ornery twinkle in their eyes and they didn't keep Alex level-headed and calm and they didn't think like Maggie or talk like Maggie. 

It had been a devastating realization, the fact that she still loved the woman even two and a half years after breaking it off. She'd lost hope that she could ever find somebody, but she'd kept it to herself. And then she'd met Jen. A beautiful, intelligent engineer, and they'd hit it off. Alex had done her level best to forget everything about Maggie. She made an effort to only see Jen in her head, to not make comparisons. And it had worked at first. For four months it had worked. Jen had met Addy, Addy tolerated this new woman in her life, and Jen had seemed so thrilled. 

The sex had been good, their ability to speak on the same level and pass ideas back and forth was close to perfect, and Alex had never felt more numb. She'd cut Maggie out and somehow it seemed to leave her even more broken than before. It wasn't fair to Jen, and the week before Alex’s birthday, she'd ended the relationship. That had been difficult, but it made Alex feel even shittier because as she could think when Jen was crying was that it didn't hurt as much as watching Maggie plead with her, to watching Maggie walk away. 

So everyone thought she was down because of the ending of her relationship. And they were right to extent, they just had the wrong relationship in mind. Alex was sure at this point that she would never find somebody that fit her like Maggie did. She would never be capable of loving somebody the way she loved Detective Maggie Sawyer. 

It wasn't until Alex’s eyes blurred enough that she could barely see the roller in her hand that she realized she was crying. She blinked several times, trying to clear her eyes. When that didn't work, she set the roller down and dropped onto her sheet covered couch. And she cried, because she had one chance to love somebody like Maggie Sawyer. And she cried because she knew even if she went back, she would do the same thing all over again because it got her to Adalie. And she cried because she'd only gotten half a wall finished before breaking down in tears like a pathetic idiot. 

The ringing of her phone a couple minutes later caught her attention, and she glanced at the phone to see Kara’s face on the screen. She set the phone down, ignoring it. Her failure to respond only seemed to egg Kara on though, because Alex received two more calls from her and one from Lena before there was a knock on her door.

“Alex, I know you're ignoring my calls right now, but I wasn't kidding when I said I could hear you from the city. And I may have been listening. And I heard you crying and Lena told me to call instead of just showing up, but then you didn't answer. So I'm here.”

Alex laughed wetly, and she stood to unlock her front door for her sister. The hero wouldn't be leaving her alone until she had answers anything. The moment the door opened, Kara swooped in and pulled Alex into a tight hug. 

“I didn't want to intrude on your space but I feel like you've been keeping things from me for a while now. You seem so reserved all the time when you're not with Addy.”

Alex sighed against her sister’s shoulder. What could it hurt to tell Kara the truth?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of Alex and her kiddo, Adalie. Hope you guys like this chapter.
> 
> As always, it is unedited.

Alex let Kara lead her to the kitchen, and she sat at the table as her sister put a kettle of water on the stove and turned on the burner. Alex huffed.

“I think you know tea is not my thing.”

Kara gave her a look and then blatantly pulled down an unopened container of loose-leaf Earl Gray.

“I know. But it’s a little early for your whiskey, and I want to have a calm conversation with you, not one fueled by the caffeine of your coffee.”

Alex sighed and leaned back in her chair. A rush of wind and the sound of the door had her looking up to find an empty room. She frowned, and got so far as standing up when Kara came blasting back into the kitchen. She smiled at Alex and held up a jar.

“Honey. You didn’t have any. Tea has to have honey.”

“Of course. Who drinks tea without honey? Not me.”

Kara shot her a lot full of attitude and proceeded to stare at the 

After less than thirty seconds, Kara got impatient waiting for the kettle, and she opened the lid to shoot it with her heat vision. Alex laughed.

“You couldn’t wait a second longer, could you?”

Kara took down a mug and started pouring the scalding water into it.

“Everything just takes so long. Like, why wait for hot water when it can be instant? Why clean a room at normal speed when I could finish it in a few seconds? Why take my clothes off slowly when I can--”

Alex held up a hand.

“Okay, I get it. Lena is banning the super abilities from the apartment again.”

Kara slumped and pouted at Alex.

“You break one priceless vase and shatter a table… and other things, and you get banned from being efficient.”

Alex chuckled, already feeling better with her sister’s presence. 

“What I’m hearing is that you haven’t figured out your new apartment yet, and you’ve broken several things; important things. And because of that, Lena is enforcing a strict, no-power policy until you are more comfortable in the space?”

Kara gave her sister a sheepish grin.

“Yeah.”

Alex waved lazily at her.

“Well, feel free to do it here. This house needs so much work, I’d be surprised if you crashing into parts of it didn’t make it better.”

Kara set her tea in front of her, the cage filled with tea leaves already in the cup. Alex made a note not to touch it for several long minutes, not wanting to have her fingerprints melted off. Kara sat down beside her, the playful mood slowly fading away and a serious air filling it. 

“Alex, I know there’s stuff you haven’t been telling me.”

Alex sighed.

“I have.”

When she didn’t continue, Kara leaned forward.

“Is it Jen? I mean, you said--”

Alex shook her head, not able to meet Kara’s eyes.

“It’s Maggie.”

Kara froze. That was a name they’d all avoided speaking for three years. Maggie was equated to Voldemort in the category of “do not speak this name.” Alex hadn’t willingly talked about Maggie since two months after the break-up when Kara had found her curled up in a chair with a jacket Maggie had left behind. Alex had found it in her closet and broke down, like, really broke down. Kara shifted in her seat, somewhat unsure how to proceed.

“Um, did you find something of hers again?”

She shook her head, eyes downcast.

“All of my relationships since Maggie have failed, Kara.”

Kara gripped Alex’s hand.

“Alex, sometimes relationships just aren’t meant to go further than they do. You said it just didn’t work out, right?”

Alex blew out a slow breath, playing with Kara’s fingers as a way to distract herself.

“I haven’t been totally honest with you about any of the break-ups.”

“What do you mean?”

Alex closed her eyes and let it all out.

“The first two women I dated this year broke up with me because I wasn’t emotionally available to them. And I tried to ignore the reason, and I tried to gloss over it, but I knew it was because they weren’t Maggie. They didn’t smell like her and they didn’t talk like her and every time I was with them I wished somewhere deep down that it was her.”

Kara was silent for several long seconds before speaking.

“But Jen--”

Alex laughed self-deprecatingly. 

“I tried so hard with her, Kar. I tried so hard, and I pushed Maggie out of my head, and I threw myself into that as best I could. And at the end of the day, I felt nothing. It didn’t even compare.”

Kara scooted her chair closer and pulled Alex into a tight hug, her strong arms banding protectively around her shoulders. She held her, and if Alex started crying again, they both ignored it. Alex especially. Because how was one supposed to deal with the knowledge that they were still in love with somebody they were expected to forget? 

After a few minutes, Kara pulled back. She brushed her thumbs under Alex’s eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know you were struggling so much, Alex. I haven’t been a good sister. I’ve been so caught up in--”

Alex shook her head quickly.

“Kara, no. You’ve been there for me every step of the way. Honestly. I’m so, so happy for you and Lena. You both deserve so much happiness.”

“So do you.”

Alex smiled, but ignored Kara’s comment. 

“I promise you Kara, I’m so happy with all of you and with Addy. I would never change anything about it because my baby girl is my whole world. I think I’ve just been repressing this for so long that it’s all coming to a head. I think I’ll get better now that I know where I stand.”

Kara frowned.

“And where do you stand?”

Alex braced herself for the argument she knew Kara would pose.

“I’m just. . .I won’t be dating.”

“Alex, you can’t just give up. It’ll get better in time.”

Alex clenched her hands at her sides, her chest feeling tight and on fire.

“In time, Kara?! It’s been three fucking years! I’m still just as in love with Maggie Sawyer as I was the day she walked out of my life. Time hasn’t changed anything.”

Her sister looked torn between arguing and trying to comfort her.

“Alex. . . I just want you to be happy.”

Alex sighed.

“That’s the thing. I can be, and I am. I don’t need to have a romantic relationship in my life to be happy. Now, can we please talk about something else because I’m pretty damn sick of wallowing.”

She could see Kara bite back whatever she was going to say, and instead, Kara took a deep breath and stood. She pointed at the cup sternly.

“Drink the tea. I’ll go pick up where you left off in the living room, and you can join me when that mug is empty. I will be checking.”

Alex chuckled, testing the temperature of the cup in her hands. 

“You have been spending too much time around me when I’m in mom-mode.”

Kara playfully narrowed her eyes and jabbed toward the tea again.

“All of it, Missy.”

That brought a real laugh out of Alex, and Kara looked very pleased with herself. Alex pointedly picked up the mug and started drinking, and only then did Kara head to the other room. Her sister knew her way too well. She knew Alex would need a few minutes to herself to pull herself together and get herself into a different headspace. 

Alex took the offered time to actually finish the gross tea, and she pulled out her phone to look at the background. It was a picture she’d taken of Addy sitting on the floor, playing. Her daughter had looked over and held up a structure of LEGOs, this big grin on her face like she’d created the most impressive thing in the world. Alex had snapped it right before Addy dropped her creation to the floor with a giggle. 

Adalie was her world. Adalie and the super family. It’s all she needed. Alex took several deep breaths, chugged the gross, healthy drink, and walked into the living room ready to work. Kara gave her a bright smile and then disappeared for a moment, coming back with a proud grin.

“You actually finished it.”

Alex picked up the discarded roller and grinned.

“I didn’t need you being a hardass about me not finishing my tea.”

Kara smirked and moved to pick up another rolled, but Alex gripped her wrist.

“Hey, I know you were with Lena before coming here. You don’t need to feel obligated to stay and help.”

Kara grinned.

“It’s okay. Lena is on her way with lunch.”

Alex let out a dry laugh and pressed her hand to her forehead.

“You guys are unbelievable.”

Kara took it as a compliment.

“Oh, we know. And I promise I didn’t have anything to do with it. She was really worried about you and she asked if she could bring you food.”

Alex’s heart warmed at the kindness of the woman she now considered one of her closest friends. It was something she loved most, the way Lena was so, so giving. The CEO found time to be one of the most generous people Alex had ever met, and also one of the best people. 

Her and Kara set to work on the walls, Kara possibly moving more quickly than a human. They’d finished two walls before Lena showed up with the food. 

Something Alex always loved about the CEO was her ability to read a situation. She hugged Alex hello, took one look at her, and then held out a take out bag.

“Hungry?”

Alex smiled and motioned Lena toward the kitchen. And the CEO said nothing about Alex crying and she didn’t ask what was wrong. Instead, she told Alex about the new carbon filter her company was working on, troubleshooting and actually taking notes on anything Alex suggested. Sometimes she still felt guilty for how she’d treated Lena in the beginning. This woman was an angel. 

As they got down to the last of the food, Chinese, of course, Kara held out the last potsticker to Alex. Alex’s eyes widened, and Kara smiled.

“I can share. Sometimes.” Alex slowly reached for it, waiting at any moment for Kara to take it back. Kara rolled her eyes and moved it closer. “Come on, I’m not that—“

“If you’re going to say ravenous with your potstickers, don’t lie to yourself.”

Alex took it despite her comment, eating quickly before Kara could change her mind. As soon as Alex started chewing, she saw the regret in her sister’s eyes and almost choked on a laugh. Lena seemed to catch it as well, and she started chuckling herself. After swallowing the potsticker, Alex sucked in a breath.

“Oh my God, you were so sad you gave that to me.”

Kara huffed.

“No! I just...they’re so good.”

Lena smiled at her.

“Darling, I’m very proud of you for giving up your last Potsticker.”

Kara pursed her lips and leaned back in her chair. 

“I know you’re teasing me.”

Lena and Alex met eyes and both started snickering again. Kara slumped in her chair dramatically, watching them and trying to keep her own amusement at theirs from showing. After a few moments, Lena tried to stop laughing. 

“Should we continue the painting?”

Alex smiled gratefully but shook her head. 

“You guys should go spend your day together. It’s Sunday, and it’s the only day both of you really get to spend a large amount of time together.”

Kara frowned. 

“I don’t want to just leave you.”

Lena nodded. 

“Really, we’re happy to be here, Alex.”

Alex gave them both a look.

“I know you don’t mind, but it’s okay. Besides, Addy will be back soon, and if you’re here when she gets here, you won’t be leaving for hours.”

Kara took her hand and squeezed it.

“Are you sure? 

Alex nodded and pulled Kara into a hug. 

“I’m sure. Honestly, don’t worry too much. I’ll let you know if I need to talk.”

Kara pulled back but looked in her eyes.

“Will you?”

Alex smiled.

“Yes. I’m promise.”

She slipped away from Kara and moved to Lena. 

“Thank you for coming, Lena. We need to grab a drink soon.”

Lena held her tightly. 

“I’ll hold you to that.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

By the time Eliza returned with Adalie, Alex had recuperated and finished the first coat of paint on the walls. Addy’s nose wrinkled as she walked in.

“It smells, mama.” A few seconds later, “everything is all tucked in!”

Alex grinned and finished rinsing the brush she was on before meeting the two in the hall.

“That’s because I painted, Addy. I tucked in all the things that shouldn’t have paint on them. Do you like the color?”

Addy’s bright eyes glanced around the room, and her face split into a smile.

“That’s my color!” Addy grabs Eliza’s arm. “Grammy, that’s my color! I picked that.”

Eliza grinned at her.

“I know, love. It’s beautiful. You picked a good one.”

Adalie’s back straightened proudly and she clapped.

“Are we going to paint my room?”

Alex tried to keep from instantly negating that question because of a heap of things she already needed to fix in the house, but Aladie looked so excited. She ran her hand through her daughter’s hair and smiled.

“Of course, Love. But not until later.”

Eliza gave her a look like ‘you’re digging your own grave,’ but Adalie was grinning from ear to ear. She grabbed Alex’s arm.

“Tomorrow?!”

Alex shook her head.

“Not tomorrow, trouble.”

Addy frowned.

“The tomorrow after tomorrow?”

Alex knelt down beside her and tilted her head.

“We’ll have to wait a long time, okay? Mama has to do a lot of other things before we paint our rooms. But we can choose colors soon.”

Addy looked like she was about to pout, but she finally shrugged and moved toward her covered LEGOs. Eliza glanced around the room.

“It’s going to look wonderful, dear.”

Alex smiled tiredly.

“Thanks, mom. And thank you for taking her out today. It was a good break for a bit.”

Eliza wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

“Anytime, Alexandra. I’m very proud of you. And I love being around my granddaughter.”

Alex looked over at Addy and grinned.

“And she loves being around you. You’re welcome to come say hello whenever you want.”

Eliza’s eyes twinkled.

“I’ll keep that in mind. I should get going if I want to be in Midvale before dark. Addy had stir-fry for lunch by the way, so you don’t have to make her anything.”

Alex chuckled.

“Did she eat her veggies?”

Her mom smiled.

“You know your girl. Eats everything on the plate so she can be just like mama. Little does she know that her mama just hides whatever she doesn’t want to eat in her napkin.”

Alex narrowed her eyes at her mom.

“Shhhh. You couldn’t possibly know that.”

Eliza laughed and squeezed Alex’s arm.

“Dear, please. Addy told me your favorite food was the ‘green stuff.’ We all know your favorite food is pizza.”

Alex blew out a breath and chuckled.

“Whatever. You got me.”

Eliza grinned..

“Besides, you used the same trick when you were a little girl.” Alex’s eyes widened and Eliza smirked. “That’s right. Anytime we had green beans or broccoli or really anything healthy, you and Kara tag-teamed avoiding them. Your father and I said nothing because it was something you guys did together.”

Alex dropped her head back in defeat.

“All this time I questioned if you guys were really all that smart. Or if I was just that good. To know the truth now…”

Alex shook her head and Eliza gave her one more playful squeeze before letting go.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Addy hasn’t figured it out. Yet.”

Alex shook her head in defeat and looked around Addy. 

“Trouble, come tell your Grammy goodbye. She’s being just as mischievous as you.”

Adalie took a moment to carefully set down the creature she was building, and then she sprinted toward Eliza and jumped, sending the woman back a pace or two. 

“Bye, Grammy!”

Alex cleared her throat.

“Addy, can you thank your Grammy for taking you today?”

Adalie pulled back and her small hands gripped Eliza’s shirt.

“Thanks for taking me to the playground and the store and the food.”

Eliza smiled and lowered herself to Addy’s level.

“Of course, beautiful girl. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Okay!”

Addy ran back to her toys, and Alex gave her mom one last hug. 

“Have a safe drive back. Text me when you get home.”

“I will.”

She pushed out Alex’s front door, and Alex winced when it made a noise and caught on the uneven frame. God, this house was going to take a lot of work. 

~<€~<€~<€~<€

Alex’s week-day schedule revolved wholly around Adalie’s. She woke up two hours before she had to drive her daughter to school, got on the treadmill she put in an empty room, and ran six miles. She hated running on a stationary machine, but leaving her daughter in the house alone wasn’t an option. So she ran, she sucked down water, and when she finished completely dripping in sweat, she stretched and quickly took a shower. 

With forty minutes before departure time, Alex made spring rolls filled with carrots, chicken, and bell peppers. She also made two for herself. Despite Eliza’s teasing, Alex now ate much healthier food in an effort make sure her daughter did as well. She filled the empty trays with blueberries, a few cubes of cheese, and four squares of dark chocolate. She sealed it away in Addy’s adult lunch box that Addy has picked out herself. 

She made herself a similar lunch with a bit more to it and then started on breakfast. By the time she was finishing the scrambled eggs, she could hear Addy flush the toilet. She plated the eggs and set them aside, and then moved to the stairs, remaining just out of sight of Addy when she reached them. 

She waited to see if Addy would attempt then by herself, or if she’d ask Alex to walk with her. They were beyond the point of having to hold hands, but Adalie still liked for Alex to go down beside her. She heard her daughter’s feed padding across the carpet, then a pause.

“Mama?”

Alex smiled and stepped around the corner to see her girl in her pajamas and her hair a mess. 

“Hey, baby girl. Do you need me to come up?”

Addy shook her head.

“Just watch me?”

“I will.”

Addy took her time plopping down one step, then the next. She got all the way to the second-to-last step and looked at Alex, who smiled encouragingly. With an adorable puff of air, Addy jumped the last two steps. Alex scooped her into a hug and kissed her cheeks.

“Look at you, superstar!”

She kept kissing Addy’s cheeks as the girl squealed.

“Mama! That tickles!”

Alex chuckled and set her daughter down. 

“Alright. We’re going to eat and then we’re going to get ready for school, okay?”

“Okay!”

Addy ended up in black jeans and a black t-shirt, because no matter how much Alex tried to convince her, she wanted to look like her mama did at work. Some days, Alex was more successful than others in getting Addy to wear something less Agent’y. It usually depended on whether her black jeans were dirty. 

The ride to the school was like normal with Addy begging Alex for the poppy, repetitive tunes she liked so much, and Alex playfully flipping through various genres asking if they were what she wanted. It saved Alex from actually having to listen to too much of the music that tended to drive her insane. 

She dropped Addy off with a hug and kiss, and then made her way to the DEO. Two things that had changed drastically with Addy’s arrival in her life was the lack of time she spent with her motorcycle-now she drove a black Hyundai Genesis 5.0. No slouch in the looks or speed department, but with a back seat for Addy’s booster. And the second change was the type of work she did for the DEO.

She still aided any type of current attack or situation, but long missions were out of the question. She trained new agents and assisted Supergirl, and she tried to make the occasion of somebody else picking up her daughter the exception and not the rule. In her year with Addy, she’d only missed pick-up three times. All three being major incidents in which Kara was in serious danger. 

During those times, Winn contacted James, and James left CatCo to pick up Addy. Today was a simple day. There were no attacks and Alex spent the majority of her time at the DEO guiding training exercises and sparring with Vasquez. By the time she left to pick up Addy, she had soundly beaten Vasquez in downs by one. 

Alex slotted herself relatively close to the front in the pick-up lane and smiled as she watched a familiar young woman walk kids from the school doors to their cars. When she reached the front, the woman leaned into her open window.

“Ms. Danvers, how are you?”

Alex smiled.

“Good, Haley. And yourself?”

Haley grinned right back. 

“I’m great. Today was a good day. We had two of the kids’ favorite heroes back today to talk to them, and student teaching has honestly never been so enlightening.”

Alex tilted her head curiously. 

“How so?”

Haley pointed toward the doors.

“I’ll let Addy tell you. She’s been buzzing with excitement all day.”

At that, Haley left and started jogging toward the school doors. Her and Addy returned a moment later, and Alex could see her daughter was basically bouncing on her toes and pulling Haley to the car. Adalie flung the door open and climbed inside.

“Mama! Guess what?!”

Alex waved at an amused-looking Haley as the woman walked away before turning to look at her daughter. 

“What’s got you so excited, Trouble?”

Addy focused on buckling herself in and then grinned up at Alex. 

“Miss S. came in today and she showed us cool stuff!”

Alex chuckled.

“Oh yeah? What kind of cool stuff?”

“She brought in walkie-walkies and we got to talk to her through them.”

It took Alex a moment to figure out she was talking about walkie-talkies. Meanwhile, Addy continued. 

“And she told us it was important to listen to our guts. She said they were the same thing as instinct. And we talked about how that feels— look, mom! That’s Miss S.”

Alex’s attention turned from her daughter toward where she was pointing to see the back of a woman as she walked into the school doors. A sharp chord of recognition resonated in her chest and stomach, and she felt as if she’d just had the wind ripped from her. It was impossible, really. There was no way it was her. But the way the woman moved, the flow of her dark hair and the way she held herself… Alex took a deep breath and pressed on the gas. 

Her throat felt tight. This was just because of her frustrating and emotional revelation the day before. There was absolutely no way Maggie Sawyer was at her daughter’s school of all places. There was just no way. 

But the thought stuck, a barb in the back of her mind as she listened to her daughter’s excited ramblings. 

“She sat with me at lunch again! And she said I must have a cool mama to give me such good food.”

Alex kind of felt like she was going to throw up. 

“Addy, what does Miss S. look like?”

“She’s so pretty!”

Alex let out a breath and tightened her grip on the wheel. There was no way, but maybe…. She shook her head. It wasn’t possible. 

When Addy finally calmed down and asked for her music station, Alex didn’t play around. She turned it up and let her daughter sing really loudly behind her. As soon as she parked and helped Addy from the car, she ruffled her hair. 

“Alright, Munchkin. It’s time to work on your homework. Mama has to make a call and then I’ll come help you with any questions you have, okay?”

Adalie nodded and barreled through the garage door, into the laundry room, and out into the kitchen. Alex watched for a moment as Addy meticulously laid out the two things she had to do, her pencils, and her seat. It was cute how serious she got when doing her homework. After pouring her daughter a cup of water and setting a plate of crackers and cheese next to her, Alex made her way to the living room. 

It didn’t take long to find the number she was looking for. The phone rang twice before somebody answered.

“Oakmont Elementary, this is Janet. How can I help you?”

Alex put on her mom voice.

“My name is Alex Danvers. I’m Adalie’s mom. I had a question about the visitors you have come to the school.”

“Do you have a concern, Miss Danvers?”

“No, I was actually hoping to get the name of this Miss. S. my daughter speaks so highly of.”

Janet chuckled. 

“Ah, Miss. S. Yeah, the kids love her. She doesn’t talk down to them like some of the other visitors. She actually tells them that if they don’t understand anything she says, it’s their duty as a student to ask. It’s cute how the kids eat it up.”

With everything Alex knows about Maggie Sawyer, she is completely at a loss here. Because kids are what tore them apart, so while it’s unlikely Maggie would go to them by choice, Alex can see her ex-fiancé treating them like the future adults they actually are. Alex tried to keep her voice steady when she responded.

“She sounds wonderful.”

Janet seemed to realize she still hadn’t answered Alex’s question. 

“Oh, you asked for her name. It’s Sylvie. I don’t actually know her last name though. I can look it up..?”

Alex felt a lot of varying things in that moment. Relief, amusement, and a surprisingly heavy dose of disappointment. It wasn’t Maggie. She shook her head to clear the haze that seemed to have overcome her. 

“No, that’s alright. Do you know when she’s scheduled to come back?”

“It looks like…..the fifteenth of next month.”

Alex smiled. 

“Alright, Thank you. Have a good day.”

“You too.”

Alex hung up the phone and let her shoulders relax. It wasn’t her. She rolled her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. Of course it wasn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought! Constructive criticism is always welcome as well :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most updates won’t be this fast, but I thought you guys deserved this chapter lol. I wrote it at work today.
> 
> I just realized that Maggie wasn’t in the characters tagged lol, but I promise this is a Sanvers story. I’m sure this chapter will clear that up.... lol. 
> 
> Have fun. 
> 
> This is unedited.

After the false alarm that was Sylvie, Alex found herself having a difficult time coming down from it. The fact that Maggie could have been there, could've met her daughter, it had rooted itself in her brain. But she hardly allowed herself to dwell on it. Her goal was to slowly move past the realization that she wouldn’t ever find somebody like Maggie, and then accept it and move on. So far, she’d done well at ignoring everything all together.

She spent her days as usual, working, taking care of her daughter, and spending quality time with her super family. It seemed that the amount of game nights increased exponentially as time passed. At this point, they were up to two and a half a week. Most of the time was spent play games Addy could be a part of, and the adult games were brought into play after she went to sleep. 

Today was no different, and Addy played hungry hippos to her heart’s content, absolutely dominating her aunts and uncles who were pretending to lose on purpose but in reality just sucked at the game. 

“Auntie Kara, you’re supposed to eat them, not spit them out!”

Alex laughed as she watched Kara stick her tongue out in concentration. Lena was sitting beside her, hand on her back, but she was cheering for Addy. 

“Go, Addy. Show your Auntie Kara who is boss.”

Kara stuck out her tongue.

“Addy, why does your Auntie Lee always want you to win?”

Adalie giggled and aggressively chomped at the white pieces with her blue hippo.

“Because she likes me more!”

Kara gasped playfully, stopping the game altogether and holding her chest. Addy pointed st the board.

“It’s not over!”

Kara shook her head, dramatically falling onto Lena’s lap.

“I can’t go on.”

Lena’s lips were stretched wide with her smile, and she watched Kara adoringly. Addy was not amused, and she put her hands on her hips.

“Auntie Kara!”

Hearing the commotion, Lucy plopped down on the ground and positioned herself in Kara’s previous location.

“I’ll take her place. Let’s see you beat me, hot stuff.”

Addy’s determined little face was back with a vengeance, and Alex watched as she trounced Lucy with style. Alex guessed that hungry hungry hippos was in fact a game better played by those without a plan. It’s why Addy always seemed to win as she slapped the black back over and over. Kara and Lena remained in the position Kara had put them in, and they both were talking quietly and smiling. Alex quickly turned away and focused intently on the game. She could see how in love they were, and while it made her so happy, it still reminded her of what she’d lost. 

It didn’t take more than a minute for Addy to finish the game off and defeat an annoyed Lucy. 

“Auntie Lucy, you lose.”

Lucy crossed her arms and glared playfully at Adalie.

“You probably cheated.”

Alex almost burst into laughter at the utterly appalled look of her daughter’s face.

“I did not!”

Lucy frowned.

“How do you even know what that means, munchkin?”

Addy looked proudly at Alex, and Alex waggled her brows at her daughter.

“Tell her how smart you are, kiddo.”

Adalie grinned at Lucy.

“Mama taught me. She was talkin’ to Auntie Lena about how Auntie Kara cheat with cards.”

Kara held up a hand. 

“That was one time!”

Winn turned from his conversation with Vasquez and pointed at Kara.

“Once a cheater, always a cheater!”

Kara poured and Lena slipped her arms around her waist to placate her. Lucy pursed her lips.

“Damn, Al. You’re kid is going to be smarter than me soon.”

Addy tilted her head.

“What’s damn?”

Alex subtly smacked Lucy’s arm and changed the subject quickly. 

“Addy, you’re going to be smarter than Auntie Lucy and stronger than uncle James.”

James quickly caught on, standing to his full height and flexing his arms.

“What?! Look at these bad boys. I’m always going to be the strongest!”

Addy jumped to her feet, taking the bait. She held out her little arms and made a muscle-face.

“Nuh uh! I’m the strongest!”

James growled playfully.

“Looks like we’ll have to see if your arms get tired before mine in a push-up competition!”

Addy shrieked and moved to an open area of the floor. The couches were now back against the newly painted walls, and Alex had to admit the room was coming along nicely. Adalie put her hands on her hips.

“Miss S. said that our brains is the strongest. And I can keep going even when I’m tired if I put my mind to it.”

Miss S. Miss S. seemed to be Addy’s favorite topic of conversation the past two weeks. Alex had to say she was intrigued. She made a note in her calendar to visit the school on the fifteenth and check out this Miss S. Lucy seemed interested as well.

“Miss S. is a smart one.”

Addy has just gotten into her push-up position when the doorbell rang. Adalie leapt up.

“Pizza!”

She started running toward the door, only to stop midway and turn, waiting expectantly. Alex raised her eyebrows, impressed. Addy was a smart kid, but she didn’t always think things through when she was excited. And generally, an excited Addy had to be reminded not to answer the door by herself. 

“I’m proud of you for remembering, Adalie.”

She took Addy’s outstretched hand and walked to the door with her.

“Miss S. talked about being smart. She says we have to be smart at all times.”

Alex chuckled, amused that her daughter’s new idol turned out to be a police officer. Pulling open the door, she found a pimply pizza boy straining under the weight of way too many boxes of pizza. He probably expected a rager for how many were ordered. Kara swooped in behind her and easily took them from his arms while Alex paid. She’d insisted on treating them this time, seeing as they’d all been so helpful and giving when she’d moved. As soon as the door closed, she playfully swung Addy’s arm.

“What else did Miss S. say you have to be smart about?”

Alex sat in the recliner and waited for Adalie to climb into her lap. Lena was busy handing out the pizza and making sure Kara didn’t eat it all before anyone else could. Addy turned toward Alex and smiled.

“She told us about how we should never answer the door alone. And she told us that if we’re lost somewhere, we should try and find a woman with a kid to ask for help. And she told us that people might try and lie to us to get us to go with them, but we never should, even if they say they’re police officers or something. Miss S. says that we always have to check with an adult we trust before going anywhere with an adult we don’t know.”

Alex smiled. 

“Miss S. sounds like a smart lady. But you already knew all of this, didn’t you?”

Addy giggled.

“Yes! She said I was the smartest kid at school when we ate lunch together. She said my mama must be super smart too.”

Alex poked her tummy.

“Did you tell her your mama is actually the smartest person alive!”

Adalie squirmed and squealed.

“Yes! I said you were the smartest!”

Alex laughed and squeezed her daughter in a hug.

“Well, I’m glad she told you guys about that stuff. Some kids don’t know.”

Addy’s face got serious, and she looked a little sad.

“Petey didn’t know. He said his mom doesn’t ever come home. And his dad is so busy with his little brother that he doesn’t ever talk to him or pick him up on time from school”

Alex frowned.

“I’m sorry, Munchkin. What did you tell him?”

Addy rested her head on Alex’s shoulder.

“I told him that he can come hang out with my mom whenever he wants!”

Alex kissed her daughter’s forehead.

“If Petey needs to come hang out with us he’s more than welcome.”

Addy nodded.

“I told him you would say that! But Miss S. told him that she would wait with him after school until his dad picked him up.”

Alex smiled.

“That was nice of her. Maybe I’ll come eat lunch with you the next time Miss S. is there. What do you think about that?”

“Yes!!!”

Addy jerked back so excitedly that she slammed her head into Alex’s chin.

Alex groaned and held her chin with her hand while Addy held the top of her head. Lena had been waiting while they talked so as not to interrupt, but now she swooped in. 

“Do you need some ice?”

Alex waited for Addy to respond, willing to stick ice on her chin if her daughter wanted it on her head. She couldn’t say no or yes without Adalie doing the exact same thing. Addy shook her head.

“No, thank you.”

Lena smiled at her manners and held out her paper plate with a plain piece of cheese pizza. 

“For the best kid in the room.”

Addy laughed.

“I’m the only kid in the room.”

Alex kissed her daughter’s cheek.

“Not true. Uncle Winn is here.”

“Hey!”

Winn glared over at Alex. 

“I am an adult.”

Alex scoffed.

“You have as many LEGOs as Addy.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“LEGOs are a timeless toy for all ages.”

Lucy turned her nose up at Alex.

“Yeah, the box says ages four to ninety-nine.”

Kara, on her sixth piece of pizza already, shook her head.

“I don’t get everyone’s obsession with LEGOs.”

Alex laughed and took her own plate from Lena’s hand. Two pepperoni pieces. 

“That’s because we couldn’t have them in the house. You kept fusing them together when you built stuff, and we had to throw them away.”

Lena chuckled.

“I love stories about young Kara.”

Alex winked at her.

“Oh, well let me tell you about all the times we had to sneak into places to replace things Kara broke. There was this--”

“Oooookaaaay. How about we don’t do that.”

Kara stood from her place on the floor and refilled her empty plate with four more pieces of pizza. Adalie finished chewing her pizza and then put her little hands on her hips.

“Auntie Kara, breaking things is bad.”

Alex nodded.

“You’re right, Addy. Breaking things is bad.”

Kara glared at Alex before smiling at Addy.

“It is. I accidentally break stuff sometimes.”

Addy was thoughtful for a moment.

“How come?”

Lena gracefully saves Kara.

“Because your Auntie Kara is clumsy sometimes.”

Addy’s eyes light up.

“What is clumsy?!”

Lena grinned at Addy’s enthusiasm.

“It means that your Auntie Kara would bump into things or trip. If you have drop things or run into things a lot, you’re a bit clumsy.”

Addy mouthed the word to herself a few times, then set her half-eaten pizza aside and reached out. 

“Can you teach me another word. A really big one.”

Alex loved this. Loved that her daughter could heal parts of Lena that nobody else could. As Lena leaned down and hoisted Addy into her arms, she could see how much Lena loved her daughter. She could see how much it meant to her that Adalie loved her too. Alex looked at Kara, smiling even wider when she saw the faraway look in her sister’s eyes as she stared at Lena and Addy. Lena would make a great mom, and Kara would as well. Lena brushed the small tip of Addy’s nose. 

“You want a really big word, hmm? What about. . . incognito.”

Addy got her focusing face on.

“Incnito?”

Lena smiled.

“Super close, Monkey. Inkäɡ.”

“Incog.”

“Nēdō.”

“Nito.”

“Inkäɡˈnēdō.”

Addy took a deep breath.

“Incognito.”

The four who were very focused on their own game of go-fish had stopped to listen, and they clapped as soon as Addy got it. Addy looked to Alex, and Alex nodded at her. 

“Good job, baby girl.”

Adalie looked back to Lena.

“What does incognito mean?”

Lena paused for a moment, thinking about how to explain it.

“Do you know what a secret is?”

Addy nodded sagely. 

“What I’m not supposed to keep from mama.”

Lena chuckled.

“Yes. Incognito is kind of like hiding something or keeping a secret. If I were to dress in a halloween costume and nobody knew who I was, I would be incognito.”

Adalie’s eyes widened and she looks at Alex.

“I’ve been incognito, mama.”

Alex laughed.

“You have, Munchkin.”

Adalie pursed her tiny lips.

“Does that mean Supergirl is incognito?”

All eyes in the room turned to Addy with equal amounts of shock and awe. Alex met her daughter’s eyes.

“What makes you say that, Adalie?”

Addy continued like nothing important had just happened.

“Well, I was sitting with Miss S. at the lunch table, and Natalie said that it must be hard to be a superhero like Supergirl or Superman all the time. And Miss S. said that Supergirl and Superman only had to be superheroes when they wore their suits. She said that they are always heroes, but they’re just like normal people when they wear normal clothes.”

Lucy looked at Alex with wide eyes and mouthed: ‘who is this Miss S.’ Alex shrugged despite dearly wanting to know herself. Especially if her daughter was going to hang off of every word the woman said. She hadn’t steered her wrong yet, but Alex definitely needed to figure it out. She thought about asking Winn to find information on the woman, but she didn’t want to invade someone's privacy like that when she could just meet them the coming Monday. Kara was the one to step forward and gently slide Addy into her arms.

“Supergirl is incognito. She’s so incognito that the world will never know who she is!”

Lucy snorted, and scooted back in her seat. 

“Come on. Time for me to kick everyone’s ass at Go-Fish.”

Adalie locked on immediately.

“Ass?”

With an apologetic look at a glowering Alex, Lucy quickly changed the subject by having Adalie deal the cards.

~<€~<€~<€~<€

Alex called the school the next day to let them know of her plans to bring Addy lunch and eat with her on Monday. The receptionist, Kris, asked the mandatory questions (Are you taking her from school property, would you like to see her progress in school, how long do you plan on staying), which she answered efficiently on her way from the training rooms to headquarters. She hung up when as she walked up to Winn’s area, her game-face sliding on.

“What do we have?”

Winn typed quickly, pulling up four different videos. Each one had a smoking and flaring pile of rubble. 

“Four buildings simultaneously started emitting strange readings in opposite locations in the city. It’s obviously a ruse to separate our forces, but thermal imaging shows that only two of the sites have limited activity near them. J’onn and you will lead a team to one, and Supergirl will lead a team to the other. I’m not sure what this is, but it doesn’t seem to be well-thought-out.”

Alex studied the images a little closer.

“Or they’re playing us. Keep searching the area. Check neighboring buildings and the tunnel systems. I don’t want to lose anyone today because we were surprised.”

Winn nodded, his fingers already flying. Alex patted him once on the back and jogged to gear up. On the way, she called three teams over the PA system.

“Teams two, six, and seven, convene in Gear-Up room now. Teams two, six, and seven. Teams two, six, and seven. Make your way to Gear-Up now.”

Alex entered to find a few agents already inside and prepping. She tugged her locker open and quickly strapped herself into her vest. Winn adjusted her earpiece to communicate with headquarters and the three squads gearing up in in the room. She jogged down the steps connecting the room to the massive DEO garage and had seven customized Suburbans signed off and started. Teams two, six, and seven lined up in front of her just as Kara spoke through the mic. 

“I’m holding over the Westmont building. Nobody is inside.”

Alex felt an all-too-familiar pang of fear in her chest.

“Supergirl, hold your position until team two reaches your location.”

Kara was silent, obviously wanting to argue, but she responded with a quick affirmative. Alex looked at the teams before her. 

“Team two, you’re to move into position with Supergirl. Winn has the location set in your vehicles. Move out.”

Team two moved as a well-oiled machine. In situations like this, one of teams one through five were chosen to assist supergirl. They had the most experience, the training, and the nerves to work with a powerful alien at their point. Teams six through twenty ranged from intermediate to relatively new agents, still extraordinarily well trained. She looked at them.

“You are with me and Agent J’onzz.” She nodded at J’onn as he jogged up beside her and continued. “Team six, on me. Team seven, you are following Agent J’onnz. Let’s go.”

:::::-:::::-:::::

As they pulled up a hundred yards from their target, Winn spoke over the coms.

“Alex, you were right. There are vast sewer systems below both buildings. I sent bots to take a closer look. They’re using lead shields to hide their heat signatures, but there are probably forty men hidden away below each building.”

Alex frowned. 

“What kind of weapons do they have?”

“Unclear. But no readings of Kryptonite. Supergirl should be in the clear.”

“Good. Where are the entrances for the sewer system?”

“I’ll send them to you.”

Alex looked at the semi-burnt building and frowned. J’onn walked over.

“You want to breach?”

Alex shook her head.

“No. Whoever these people are, they’re amateurs.” She looked at the large tablet in her hand. “Look at this. They’re all close together. Even if we’d gone inside like they wanted, they would have taken too long to ambush us.”

J’onn nodded.

“Want to try and scare them out?”

Alex smirked.

“Yep.” She glanced at the screen and then reached out to supergirl. “Supergirl, come in.”

“I’m here.”

“Don’t engage just yet. Winn?”

“Speaking.”

“Can you equip some of your bots with a few smoke grenades and a concussion grenade? Get the smokes in between them, but keep that concussion grenade at a distance so it just bugs their senses a bit.”

“Gotcha. Bots are being equipped.”

Alex spoke over the coms for all to hear.

“Winn has sent all of us the locations to the sewer these tangos are currently hiding in. Place yourselves at them and be ready to apprehend whatever comes running out.”

J’onn took his team toward the east sewer location, and Alex took hers to the west. They’d just gotten into position when Winn called the drones location. Alex took a breath. 

“Go ahead.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

The moment the grated had opened, Alex and her team overwhelmed the fleeing tangos with shouts to get on the ground. It was an easy haul back to base, and it was revealed that the group had nothing but illegal handguns and blunt-force weapons at their disposal. They called themselves the Haliens, misguided in their attempt to cull the group making it dangerous for aliens to live. Alex sharply corrected such a flawed statement and the group of do-gooders were shipped to the NCPD for questioning and containment. 

It was an easy day, and nobody had gotten hurt. It also led to Kara begging Alex for a sparring session because she felt like she had too much energy. About a year before, Lena had figured out a way to harness red sunlight and Alex had quickly replaced the Kryptonite in the room with it. 

Kara had only increased in skill and speed since they’d first begun sparring six years before, and she got several good hits in that forced Alex to adjust and readjust her approach. It was something Kara hated, as she still didn’t have the vast array of different martial arts under her belt. Alex still came out victorious eighty percent of the time, but Kara took great pride in her few victories. 

They ended the session late, and neither had a chance to shower before Alex had to go get Addy. Kara volunteered herself as a tag-along, and they pulled up in front of Addy’s school still-sweaty and a bit smelly. Haley jogged over, smiling like always.

“Double-Danvers. What a treat!”

Kara grinned. 

“Hey, Haley.”

Alex leaned forward to see past her sister. 

“Good day?”

Haley nodded. Not that she ever had a different answer. 

“It was. I love these goofballs. Let me go grab Adalie.”

As soon as her daughter got in the car, she was talking a mile a minute. 

“Auntie Kara! Mama! I got to read a whole page to the class today. Mrs. Massey was really proud of me. She said I could read like a second-grader!”

Kara turned around excitedly. 

“Good job, Addy!”

Alex pulled away from the curb and glanced at her daughter in the mirror.

“I’m proud of you, sweetheart.”

Adalie did a little wiggle as she buckled herself into her car seat.

“She gave me a book to read with you and not the homework she gave everyone else.”

Kara played with Addy’s foot. 

“What book is that, Addy?”

Adalie pulled her tiny backpack into her lap and unzipped it. She awkwardly pulled a book from the bag and showed Kara. 

“Where the Sidewalk Ends.”

Alex chuckled when Kara’s eyes widened and she looked at Alex excitedly before looking back at Addy. 

“Your Grammy used that book to teach me how to spea- read. It’s one of my favorites.”

Adalie got a pleased little smile on her face and she turned the book around to look at it again with new eyes. She put it carefully back into her backpack. 

“You can read it with mama and I.” Addy was silent for a moment, then: “Do you think Miss S. would read with me at quiet time.”

Alex smiled back at her.

“I’m sure she would love to, Adalie.”

Addy seemed extraordinarily pleased with that. Alex could not wait for Monday. This woman must be God’s gift to the world for her her daughter, a kid with an exorbitant amount of cool people in her life, to be so enamored.

~<€~<€~<€~<€

When the new week began, it started off on a high note. Addy tried successfully jumped off the third step without having Alex hold her hand. Alex caught her at the end, but Addy was so happy that Alex let her have extra chocolate chips on her waffles in congratulations. 

After a few bites, Alex focused on her daughter. 

“What do you want me to bring you for lunch today, baby?”

Adalie’s eyes blew wide.

“Can it be anything?!”

Alex chuckled. 

“Maybe. What do you want?”

Addy stuffed a large bite of waffle in her mouth and thought while she chewed. Alex could tell she had decided before she swallowed because she started chewing really quickly. As soon as Addy’s mouth was clear, she sat taller in her seat and grinned.

“Potstickers!!”

Alex bit back a groan that her daughter had picked up on Kara’s obsession. 

“You sure that’s what you want?”

“Yep.”

Addy stuck her last bite of waffle into her mouth and hummed to herself while she chewed. As soon as she finished, Alex put the dishes in the sink and they hurried up the steps to get dressed. 

“I want to wear my mama outfit.”

Alex decided not to fight it today, knowing it would be a hard sell when she was already wearing hers. 

Alex spent her few hours at work in her lab looking through the results of an experiment her, Winn, and Lena had been spending their free time working on- a type of fabric that gave Kara a limited amount of protection from Kryptonite. They created a material that absorbed it, but the problem came quickly after when the fabric basically disintegrated into nothing. They were testing various methods to make it more sustainable. 

She left work at ten-thirty to go to Kara’s favorite Chinese restaurant and pick up potstickers, fried rice, and her selection. She had avoided soda like the plague with Addy, so special occasions called for Adalie’s favorite non-soda drink that probably want any better: Yoo-Hoo. Winn had gotten it for her once at a gas station, and she’d absolutely adored it. She got a blue Gatorade for herself and climbed back into her car. She had a twenty-minute ride to Addy’s school, and then she would be meeting this magnificent Miss S.

:::::-:::::-:::::

She parked in an open space near the side doors of the building, a smile finding its way to her face at how excited she knew Addy would be to see her. She loved her daughter more than anything in the world, and it sometimes still surprised her how much Adalie loved her in return. 

Alex pushed her way through the double doors and walked through the halls with ease. She’d memorized the layout of the school before ever sending her daughter to it. It smelled like a school, but the walls freshly painted and the floors were spotless. She heard the noise from the cafeteria before she even saw the doors, and she turned the corner to find that both were open to the large space. Kids sat everywhere, and adults roamed the floor to keep an eye on everything. 

She quickly caught sight of her daughter’s dark outfit and light, braided hair, and she smiled softly at the open seat beside her. She made her way toward her, taking note of the members of Addy’s class that sat to her left and right. And sitting right in front of her daughter, her back to Alex, was Miss S. Alex was struck with a sense of aching familiarity, but she continued walking toward them. Adalie saw her when she was a few yards from the table, and she squealed loudly and waved excitedly at Alex.

“Mama!!”

Alex grinned and moved toward her just as Miss S perked up and turned around. And if every single thing in Alex’s hands fell to the floor in that moment, nobody could have blamed her. It was only her hard-won instincts that kept everything in her grip as she took in the sight of the most beautiful, devastating woman in the world. Her heart felt like it was crawling up her throat to throw itself at her. She swallowed it down even as her history just stared in utter shock that she was sure was mirrored on her face.

“Alex…”

Alex closed her eyes for a second, because her imagination didn’t do that voice justice. She opened her eyes and took a breath.

“Maggie. Hey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dunnnnnn. All (most) of you smarties doubted deduction skills. But here we are. Let me know what you thought of that ending :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....okay, so I definitely won't be updating this quickly most of the time. But I have a bunch of final papers I'm ignoring. I will officially graduate from college in 9 days.
> 
> This is unedited.

The amount of time that passed with neither speaking, just staring, remembering, breaking apart… it was a lot. Because everything in Alex wanted to pick up where they left off. Nothing had changed in her heart for this wonderful woman. Maggie didn’t look a day older, but something in her eyes didn’t spark quite the same. It felt like she didn’t smile a lot anymore. It wasn’t until Addy called her for what was probably beyond the first time that Alex let her training kick in.

Compartmentalize, focus on what’s important in the moment. Her daughter was the most important. She gave Maggie a look that said ‘later,’ and cleared her throat. She tore her eyes from Maggie’s and looked at her daughter. 

“Hi, baby.”

Alex moved forward, pretending that she didn’t see the flash of emotions overwhelming her ex's face. She passed Maggie and sat in the empty seat beside Adalie. 

“Mama, did you get them?!”

Alex smiled despite the way her guts twisted among themselves. 

“Of course I did.” 

In her peripheral, Alex saw Maggie still frozen, as if she was unsure whether or not she should bolt. Alex would hit her with the jar of Yoo-Hoo if she ran for the door. She slid it out of the bag, grimacing slightly as Addy squealed in delight and then said in a yodel tone:

“Yoo-Hoo!”

Alex popped the lid off and set it in front of her. She then removed Addy’s carton of potstickers and poured them on to a paper plate. Maggie’s eyes zeroed in on the meal and and her lips twitched with something close to pained amusement. Addy was about to begin eating when her eyes widened. 

“Oh. Mama! This is Miss S.” Addy stage whispered. “She’s a police officer.”

Alex’s jaw clenched tightly and then relaxed.

“Is she? How cool.”

Addy looked at Maggie. 

“Miss S, this is my mama.”

Alex didn’t think she was seeing things when a flash of utter bafflement and terror flooded Maggie’s face for the second time in the past two minutes. Maggie’s grin was weak.

“I see.” 

Addy didn’t pick up on the moment that seemed to be tearing both women apart. She pointed next to her. 

“And that’s Petey-oh, here Petey, you should ter these potstickers!- And that’s Natalie. And that’s Molly….”

The introductions probably carried around the table, but Alex was quickly distracted by the way Maggie’s throat wobbled and her jaw trembled. It was the telltale sign that her calm mask was about to fracture. Alex took a deep breath and returned her focus to her daughter as she finished her introductions. 

“....This is my mama!”

All the kids waved at her, and she waved back. Adalie stood up.

“Look.” She pointed at her shirt. “I told you I looked like my mama.”

Maggie cleared her throat and slowly stood. 

“Adds, I have to get going.”

Adds. Jesus. Maggie has a nickname for her daughter. Adalie pouted heavily and her shoulders slumped.

“But my mama just got here.”

Maggie nodded quickly, eyes already blinking too often. Her voice was thick and she tried to smile. 

“I know, kid. But I really have to go. I’m glad I got to see your mom.”

Alex’s eyes met hers, both gazes filled with all the things both wanted to say. Addy blew out her little cheeks.

“Okay. I’ll see you soon?”

Maggie didn’t leave Alex’s gaze. 

“I hope so, kid.”

And then the woman out of all of Alex’s good dreams stood and turned away from her. Everything in her wanted to follow, to catch the tears she knew were about to fall. But Addy was still her priority, and they couldn’t say the things that need to be said in front of a bunch of children. 

Alex ate her Chicken Lo Mein and reacted how her daughter needed her to react whenever she told her about moments in her day. She talked about Maggie a lot, how they talked about their favorite animals, and how Maggie was so smart and so pretty and all Alex wanted to do was agree and tell her daughter everything _she_ knew about Maggie Sawyer. But she nodded along and acted surprised or impressed, and Addy ate it up. 

By the time the signal to end lunch sounded, Alex was tenser than she’d been since the last time Kara was injured. Addy stuffed her last potsticker in her mouth and chewed quickly. When she swallowed, she gripped Alex’s shirt. 

“Thanks mama.”

Alex smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

“Was it good?”

Addy nodded vigorously. 

“Yes! Auntie Kay usually steals them all.”

Alex gave her a genuine chuckle.

“You're right, honey. I'll make sure Auntie Kara doesn't do that next time.”

Addy shrugged.

“It's okay. It's funny when she takes them from everyone else.”

The other kids at the table started to rise, and Alex did the same. 

“Alright, Addy. I'll be here to pick you up after school, okay?”

Addy stood up on her chair and leapt into Alex’s arms. 

“I love you.”

Alex held her close, taking the strength and courage she always seemed to find with her daughter at her side. 

“I love you too, Trouble.”

While Adalie ran to catch up with her friends, Alex make her way toward the exit of the cafeteria. She caught Haley’s eye and nodded at the wave she received. Adalie’s teacher smiled as she passed by her as well. By the time Alex shoved the double-doors open, she felt like she hadn't taken a full breath in days. 

The air she sucked deeply into her lungs she tried to hold onto for just a moment. Because it was Maggie. Maggie had just been there, right in front of her. And she'd felt that tug, that ‘I love you fiercely’ pull on the strings of her heart. And now Maggie was fucking gone--”

“Alex.”

Alex’s head jerked up and she found Maggie standing beside her bike. Maggie’s bike. How had she missed that? Maggie’s shoulder were curled forward and her eyes- pink around the edges- hardly met Alex’s. Alex came to a stop a few feet away despite the urge her body felt to envelop the other woman. 

“I thought you left.”

Maggie closed her eyes and she sighed.

“I tried to.”

The kick-drum in Alex’s chest that always beat when she was with Maggie years before gave a little jump, like it was willing to pound out its tune at a moment’s notice.

“And?”

Maggie’s eyes shot open and she huffed in a self-deprecating way.

“Maybe I enjoy torturing myself. I don't know. I just know that I got in my bike and I sped away and five minutes later I was back here waiting for you to walk out those doors.”

This Maggie was new to her. She seemed so empty, so heavy, so unlike the steady sail that had always kept Alex moving forward. She took a step forward, eyes soft. 

“I'm glad you came back.”

Maggie sucked in a breath. 

“I'm going to have to ask you a favor, Danvers. Don't be gentle with me. Don't be the Alex I knew. Be Agent Danvers. Be Kara’s protector. Don't be something I can't let go of.”

Alex felt a sting in her nose and eyes as she watched Maggie struggle. She didn't know what to say, and Maggie seemed to be having a hard time keeping her head up. It wrecked Alex wide open to know that Maggie’s might still be feeling the same as her. She tried to think of a way to keep the conversation going without either one of them losing their shit.

“So, Sylvie?”

Maggie seemed deeply confused for a moment before it seemed to click in her head that Alex must have called about her. She nodded.

“When I came back…” she looked away. “I came back and I was recruited to do an internal investigation at the Oakmont Police Department. They thought that they had a dirty cop and they needed somebody who wasn't a part of Internal Affairs to go undercover. I had to play a role, and as the newest member, when the school asked for somebody to come down, I was voted to do it. My undercover name was Sylvie Truman.”

Alex nodded.

“Is the mission still happening?”

Maggie tensed noticeably. 

“No.” She was silent for several seconds, but she knew the information Alex wanted. She sighed. “The op ended three months ago.”

Alex was still trying to piece everything together. The undercover mission made sense. She understood why Maggie ended up here. 

“Why did you keep coming back?”

Maggie met Alex’s eyes and she clenched her jaw and shook her head.

“It doesn't matter.”

“Maggie.”

Maggie closed her eyes.

“I can't, Alex.”

Alex watched the way the line of Maggie’s brow dipped in frustration and pain. 

Alex’s body felt like it was failing to complete a task every moment that she wasn't touching the woman in front of her. Maggie cleared her throat and nodded toward the school.

“You have a daughter.”

Alex blew out a breath. 

“I do.”

“Married?”

The scoff Alex let slip was accidental, but she saw something flash in Maggie’s eyes at the denial.

“Girlfriend?”

Alex looked away.

“No.”

Maggie’s brow furrowed.

“But I thought—“ She cut herself off, quickly changing the subject so Alex couldn’t ask what she thought. “I mean, how did you get Adalie?”

The way Maggie said her name with such softness and care had Alex’s knees weak. God, she fucking hated the way Maggie wrecked her world with just the idea of her being a part of it again.

“Long story short, her mother died, there was no external family, and I adopted her two years ago.”

Maggie nodded, her hands coming together behind her back. Most likely to fidget more inconspicuously. 

“She’s a great kid. Smart. I should have known with the all-black outfit and nerd-talk.”

Maggie smiled to let Alex know she was teasing, and Alex fell right into it without hesitation.

“Hey, nerds are cool.”

Maggie let out a quick laugh that sounded like it had remained locked in her chest for much too long.

“I guess some nerds are alright.”

Alex studied the way Maggie held herself, the way her laugh lines seemed dull. She wanted to know her again, to figure out why she looked so sad, to do anything to make her happy. 

“That’s right. Don’t you forget it.”

Maggie met her eyes and instead of looking away, she held Alex’s stare. After too long, she pulled away. 

“Look, Danvers, I should get going—“

Alex took a step forward, fear streaking through her that Maggie would walk away and she’d never see her agains.

“Maggie, wait.”

Maggie paused her retreat and watched Alex with a strained expression. 

“Danvers, I know it’s pathetic, but I can’t be around you this long without wanting to say things I shouldn’t. I know it’s been three years, and I know you’ve moved on, but I’m still figuring things out.”

“I haven’t…”

Maggie frowned. 

“Haven’t what?”

Alex sighed. 

“Moved on. I—fuck.” Alex closed her eyes. She couldn’t do this. Adalie was her world. She’d never bring somebody into her life that couldn’t love her like she deserved. “I should go too.”

Maggie seemed shaken, her eyes flicking over Alex’s face. When Alex failed to move away, Maggie took the first step back. She slowly straddled her bike, and Alex felt the anchors Maggie somehow dug in deep tear at her heart a bit. She had one last hope.

“Mags.” She knew it was cheating, she knew it wasn’t fair. Especially with the way Maggie froze. But she needed an answer. “Why did you keep coming back to the school?”

Maggie gave her a rueful, somewhat sad smile. 

“I wanted to know what you thought was worth more than what we had.”

Alex felt like a sledge-hammer had just crashed into her heart. 

“Maggie….that’s not—“

Maggie shook her head. 

“No, I know that’s not what it was. But it’s how it felt when I walked out of your apartment for the last time and for every day after that. I wanted to know what was so important that you had to choose it over me.”

Alex took one shuddering breath, then two.

“And did you?”

Maggie smiled. The first real smile that had graced her face since Alex had seen her. 

“At first? No. Kids smell and they never shut up.”

Alex huffed, then pushed.

“And then?”

Maggie huffed.

“And then I met a beautiful, little girl who talked with adult words and had this insatiable curiosity about every goddamn thing I said. She answered all my questions and asked her own with eager eyes and an easy smile. She was worth it, Alex. You made the right decision.”

Alex didn’t realize she was crying until a tear dripped off her cheek. She sniffed and wiped at them roughly. 

“Are you back for good?”

Maggie nodded slowly.

“National City is my home. I left a lot behind.”

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to stop coming to the school.”

Maggie shrugged.

“I don’t want to intrude or make things weird, Alex.”

Alex shook her head. 

“I’m serious. Addy would be devastated if you stopped showing up. She adores you.”

Maggie bit her lip and looked down at the gas tank of her bike.

“Is it a good idea?”

Alex shrugged. 

“Who knows? Probably not. But Adalie only knows you as Miss S, the coolest cop in the world. It’s not going to hurt her if she keeps thinking that.”

Maggie fiddled with the straps of her helmet.

“What about you? Or me? Because I know this might kill me, Alex.”

Alex nodded in understanding. 

“I don’t blame you if you decide to stay away.” She turned to walk away, but looked one more time over her shoulder. “But I really do hope I get to see you again.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

Alex sat in her car for longer than she should’ve just slumped back against the driver’s seat and staring at the school. She was supposed to be at the DEO right now, training a group of new recruits. Vasquez was going to kill her. But Alex could hardly even think straight, let alone focus long enough to drive all the way to the DEO. 

Trying to process the fact that she’s just seen Maggie Sawyer after three years was taking up literally every ounce of her brain power. She’d still been so, so beautiful. But she’s seemed….sad. Alex wouldn’t have ever thought that she would be the one keeping cool. That was always Maggie. She was always the calming force. But Alex had Adalie to keep her grounded, to remind her of who she had to be and what was important. Maggie had… she didn’t know. 

She’d avoided even going the direction of the woman’s apartment and favorite bar. Looking her up to see what she was up to had been out of the question from the beginning; it would’ve hurt too much to see her happy with somebody else. 

But Maggie wasn’t happy… she’d seemed fractured today, like she still had all of her pieces, they were just a little shaky. Alex had never imagined Maggie could be in that place, and now all she wanted to do was swoop in and take her out. Maggie wasn’t meant for any more brokenness in her life; not after everything she’d been through. And to think that their break-up might have been the cause for this…. Alex shook her head. 

She couldn’t think like that. She couldn’t try and protect Maggie like they used to protect each other. No matter how much she wanted to pull Maggie back into her orbit, she couldn’t. Not if Maggie couldn’t love Adalie the way her beautiful little girl deserved. But that just raised another point: Maggie kept coming back. Because of Addy, she kept coming back to this school despite whatever op she was a part of ending _months_ before. What did that mean? 

Alex dropped her head against the seat. It could mean nothing. Stop trying to convince yourself of something you don’t know. Alex knew three things for sure at this moment: 1) she was still one hundred percent in love with Maggie Sawyer. 2) Her daughter was the most important thing in her life. 3) The reason her and Maggie broke up was because the detective didn’t want kids. It didn’t leave her with much wiggle room. 

The buzzing of her phone pulled her back into the present. J’onn was calling. Fuck.

“Sir.”

“Agent Danvers, where are you? Are you safe?”

Alex held in a sigh.

“Yes, I’m sorry. I’m fine.”

She could tell the moment he picked up on her mood.

“Alex, has something happened?”

Alex clenched her teeth together to ward off the shudders trying to escape.

“Everything is fine, sir. I would like to request the rest of...the… day—“

Alex’s speech came to a halt as she heard the signs of flight, then saw the red, blue, and gold of her sister’s uniform swoop in, open her door, and settle next to her. She sighed.

“Really, J’onn?”

Space dad took the place of Director J’onzz. 

“I am unsure of what you’re referring. I’m pretty sure Supergirl has Super hearing and makes her own impulsive decisions.”

And then he hung up, leaving Alex sitting beside a concerned looking hero. She rolled her head to the side to look at her sister.

“Kara, you can’t just show up anytime I’m upset”

Kara crossed her arms.

“One, that's literally my duty as your sister. Two, I’m glad you already admitted that you weren’t okay because now I don’t have to pry. Three, why are you just sitting outside of Addy’s school?”

Alex glanced toward where Maggie had been thirty minutes before. She was too tired to dance around the subject.

“Maggie is back.”

Kara’ face went through a range of emotions from to confusion, to worry, strangely to guilt, and it finally settled on worry back on worry. 

“Are you okay?”

Alex scoffed and closed her eyes. 

“I just told you a couple weeks ago that I wasn’t over Maggie. What do you think?”

Kara flinched and looked away.

“Sorry.”

Alex shook her head and reached over to grip Kara’s wrist.

“No, wait. I’m sorry. I have no reason to snap at you.”

Kara was silent a moment and then she sighed. 

“You might.”

Alex’s eyes snapped to her sister whose main expression had moved toward guilt. 

“What do you mean?”

Kara riddled with her hands. 

“Maggie...I knew she was back. She reached out to me five months ago.”

Alex stared at her sister in disbelief. She felt sick to her stomach and frustrated that she’d been kept in the dark.

“What?! Kara, why didn’t you tell me?”

Kara turned to her, face earnest and apologetic.

“Because I thought you were happy! You had been dating Jen for a month and I didn’t want to ruin that.”

She understood, really, she did. But she was so angry. She tried to keep it from her voice.

“What did she say? What did you say?”

Kara sighed and pulled a knee to her chest.

“She was in a bad way… I think she might have been drinking or something, but she wasn’t irrational or incoherent. She just sounded sad. She asked about how things were with me. I told her about my first date with Lena and she told me she’d called it the first time we were in a room together. Then...she asked about you.”

Alex closed her eyes. Her chest burned and her eyes hurt and her nose stung like it always did before she cried.

“What did you say?”

“I told her you were seeing somebody. I didn’t tell her about Adalie. And then she asked if you were happy.”

Alex’s heart cracked a bit more and she swallowed.

“And you said yes.”

“I thought it was the truth.”

Alex shook her head and opened her eyes to try and give Kara a smile.

“I know you were just doing what you thought was best.” She rubbed her forehead. “Doesn’t even matter anyway. We broke up for a reason. That reason is even more important now with Addy in the picture.”

Kara shifted to look at her.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

Alex chuckled dryly, her lips twitching into an unbelieving smile.

“You know the cop that goes to Addy’s school sometimes that she’s so obsessed with?”

Kara’s eyes widened.

“Wait, seriously? You said her name was Sylvia or something.”

Alex nodded.

“Sylvie. It was an internal investigation and she was undercover as a cop at Oakmont. She had to play along, and she was chosen as the ‘rookie’ to take this position.”

“So she’s undercover as Sylvie?”

Alex shook her head and rubbed her thumb idly on the steering wheel.

“No. The operation ended months ago.”

Kara’s brows furrowed.

“But she’s still here?”

Alex nodded, Maggie’s words from before ringing in her head. _She was worth it, Alex. You made the right decision._ What did that mean to Maggie though? Alex blew out a breath.

“Do you think James or Winn would want to watch Addy tonight? I need to drink.”

Alex didn’t keep alcohol where she lived anymore. It wasn’t something she wanted to rely on with addy in her life. But sometimes, when things got really hard, she needed a night with the girls.

Kara reached over and interlocked her fingers with Alex’s.

“I think we can arrange something.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

Winn quickly snapped up the opportunity to win best uncle points and arrived at Alex’s at seven. She gave him a quick hug and handed him a list. 

“I know you know what to do, but she’s been stubborn about some things recently. Make sure she’s finished any snacks by seven-thirty, and have her brush her teeth and put pajamas on at seven forty-five. Bedtime is eight, but you can read her new book with her up to eight-thirty. She tried to sneak up a ziplock baggie filled with carrots.”

Winn rolled his eyes.

“Only your daughter would rebel in such a cute way.”

Alex smacked his arm.

“It’s not cute!”

Winn narrowed his eyes.

“I’d bet a million dollars that you smiled when you told her it wasn’t okay to take food up to her room.”

Alex leveled a glare at him and Winn held up his hands, backing away slowly. 

“Addy, come save me!”

A clatter of LEGOs and a scuffle of tiny feet sounded from the living room.

“Uncle Winnie!”

Winn caught her as she jumped into his arms.

“Hey, Munchkin! How’s the best five-year-old in the entire world?”

Addy put her tiny hands on his shoulders and looked at him seriously.

“My LEGO rocket house is almost complete. You have to come see it.”

Winn grinned excitedly.

“Yes!”

Alex cleared her throat.

“Hang on a minute, trouble. Where’s my hug?”

Adalie let herself fall toward Alex, and she caught her in a hug. 

“Bye mama!”

Alex held her tightly.

“Bye, Love. I’ll be back tonight, okay?”

“Okay.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

Lena’s cheeks were flushed a deep red and her eyes were lidded as she leaned against Kara’s side and laughed.

“Wait, wait, wait! You’re saying that Addy took a bunch of melted ice cream and poured it into your shoe?”

Alex chuckled took a long sip of her Johnnie Walker Blue Label whiskey that Lena had pulled from her stores just for her.

“I promise you. Adalie is a future evil mastermind.”

Kara was giggling right next to Lena, her hand splayed on Lena’s thigh.

“Did she tell you why she did it?”

Alex snorted.

“She said, ‘mama, I just wanted to.’” Alex leaned her head back against the cushion and glanced down when she received a text from Winn. She groaned loudly. “Oh my God, Addy tried to sneak an entire box of Wheat Thins under her shirt.”

Kara and Lena both doubled over in laughter, and Alex shook her head with a grin on her face. Lena pushed herself off of Kara a bit.

“She is the greatest child in the history of child. Children. History of children.”

Kara poked Lena’s arm.

“You’re really drunk.”

Alex snorted. 

“Says the drunkest one.”

Kara giggled and fell back to lay on the carpet. 

“True.”

Alex’s stomach hurt from laughter, and it lessened the ache in her chest that had be caused by the events of the day; of the last month, even. They didn’t talk about Maggie at all. Around eleven, Lucy and Vasquez showed up to find three very drunk adults trying to pretend to be sober. It took all of three seconds before Lena cracked and collapsed onto Kara again. It was cute really, how the CEO became an adorable mess with a large dose of alcohol. Susan smirked at Lucy.

“It looks like we missed the fun part of the night.”

Lena shook her head lazily and held up a half-empty bottle of red wine. 

“Nooooo, there’s more.”

Lucy was quick to pounce, slipping the bottle from Lena’s quickly loosening grip and pouring herself and Vasquez a glass a piece. She handed one to Susan with a wink and settled herself on the floor beside Alex. Susan, the ever-responsible adult of the five, walked to the kitchen to pour out several glasses of water and she loaded up a pan full of snacks to absorb some of the alcohol. 

Said snacks proceeded to be devoured rather quickly by Kara, who then collapsed in a puddle.

“Let's order pizza!”

Lena ran a hand through her girlfriend’s hair.

“Darling, we ordered food ten minutes ago.”

Kara started to push herself from the floor.

“It'll be faster if I get it.”

Lena, Alex, and Lucy all grabbed a hold of a whatever part of Kara they could reach. 

“How about not, sweetheart.” “Don't even think about it.” “God you're drunk.”

Kara collapsed back to the carpet.

“Fiiiiine.”

Lucy finished her first glass.

“What did you order?”

Alex snorted.

“We’re with Kara. What do you think?”

Susan took a seat beside Lucy, closer than strictly necessary, and Alex made a mental note she hoped she remembered to ask one of them about it later. 

The rest of the night was a blur of delirious mumbling from Kara who Lena cut off after she started to randomly levitate. Forced herself to start sobering up around midnight so she would be able to drive home around two. As soon as the first wave of soberness washes over her, the lightness she'd accomplished melted back into the sadness and frustrations of the day. She could tell that the others picked up on her mood, but it was an unspoken rule that nobody would bring up the reason for drunk-night unless it was the person who called for it to happen. Alex did not plan on speaking about Maggie. She wished she was able to stop thinking about her too. 

By the time she got home, her head was filled with the detective and the way her eyes used to flash so mischievously and the way she seemed to have an ever-increasing amount of dimples. Alex stuck her key in the door, twisting it slowly and wincing at the drag and grind against the frame. She really needed to fix that. 

The lights were all off in the house, but the moonlight through the bay windows illuminated the form of Winn passed out on the couch. She made her way over to him, flicking on a lamp. 

“Winn?”

He stirred, turning further into the couch.

“Winnie the Pooh.”

Winn groaned and slowly opened his eyes. 

“Alex? Hey.”

She picked up a blanket from the other sofa. 

“Hey, it's almost two. You're more than welcome to sleep here if you want.”

Winn glanced at his phone.

“Yeah, I think I'll just crash on your couch. Thanks, Alex.”

Alex set the blanket on him.

“Everything else go well?”

Winn smiled.

“Yeah. Besides the wheat thins, Addy was the picture of a charming five year old. You'll have to check out our sick LEGOs.”

Alex rolled her eyes.

“Right. Will do, goof. Get some sleep.”

Alex threaded quietly up the steps, the stairs one of the only things not needing to be patched up in the house. She walked to Addy’s room and peered inside, smiling when she saw her baby girl curled on her side with a mint-colored blanket that had little bulldogs on it in her hands. 

Closing the door softly, she made her way to her own room and pushed open the door. She'd just changed into pajamas when her phone started buzzing. Who would call her at two in the morning? Alex bent over and slipped her phone out of her jeans pocket. Maggie Sawyer. Alex’s heart did a few strange acrobatics in her chest and her stomach tightened into a knot. Letting it go to voicemail wasn't an option. 

“Maggie…”

A sigh of something a lot like relief sounded on the other end.

“Alex, hey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys thought of Maggie. This is the way the story took me, but I know it's a little darker for her. Let me know if you thought it was too much.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry this took so long to get out. I hope you guys enjoy :) 
> 
> This isn't edited
> 
> Find me on tumblr with the same username! I need friends lol.

Alex slowly lowered herself to her mattress. She didn’t know what to say to her, or why Maggie had called, or how she would get through this without falling apart. 

“Is everything okay?”

Maggie sighed.

“No. Yes. I mean, it’s relative, I guess. I just want to talk to you.”

Alex closed her eyes and tried to ignore the way her head and heart began their battle.

“Is it a good idea?”

Maggie was quiet for several moments.

”Unlikely. But….”

Alex didn’t want to hurt her. She didn’t want to be the person that said no to Maggie Sawyer. She’d never wanted to be that person. And yet…

“What will this do but make everything hurt a little bit more?”

Maggie’s breath caught strangely, and Alex just wished she could be wherever the detective was right this moment. Maggie’s voice cracked slightly when she responded.

“I don’t think I am capable of hurting _more._ ”

Alex curled forward at the weight of that statement, the pain of it. Her throat closed up and her eyes stung. This wasn’t Maggie. This wasn’t the strong, resilient detective that carried her pain and regret on her shoulders with a straight back and her head held high. 

“Mags….”

She could hear the way Maggie tried to hide the fact that she was crying, tried to breathe deeply and slowly so as not to reveal what kind of state she was in. Maggie cleared her throat roughly.

“I shouldn’t have called. God, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You don’t need this. I should--”

“Maggie.”

It was her agent voice, her no-nonsense voice, her voice that needed Maggie to listen and not hang up. She heard Maggie sigh. 

“Alex. . . God. I left everything in National City because I couldn’t stand the idea of seeing you but not being with you. And I thought. . .” She lets out a self-deprecating huff. “I thought it would hurt for a while and then I would be me again. And fuck, it hurt. It hurt so much. And then it...just never stopped. And I tried to get over it. I did. I tried being with other people. I tried throwing myself into work. I tried hating you. Nothing worked. Nobody worked. Nobody is you, Alex.”

Alex bit back a sob that wanted to escape and shook her head. She’d thought Maggie would move on, too. She thought Maggie would be sad and then realize that she could do better than Alex. That she’d find somebody who didn’t need kids, that didn’t need anybody but Maggie. Now here they were, three years later, and both of them were still magnetized. 

“I don’t know what to say. I still… I feel the way you feel. But I have a daughter. She’s the most important thing in my life, Maggie. She’s everything to me. And no matter how much I want y-- I can’t do anything that would hurt her.”

Maggie took a deep breath, and Alex heard the sounds of a door slamming in the background and several loud voices. 

“I wasn’t honest with you before. . .not completely.”

Alex paused played with the hem of her shirt. This really wasn’t a conversation Alex was prepared to have. She didn’t think she could handle Maggie saying that she’d lied to her, that they’d broken up over something that wasn’t true. So she did something that was equal parts beneficial and foolish.

“Maggie, wait. I don’t want to do this over the phone. I don’t-- I can’t do this over the phone.”

Maggie’s breathing faltered and smoothed out.

“We can meet?”

Alex closed her eyes and tried to force out the way her mind was telling her what a bad idea that was. 

“I think that would be best for this conversation. It’s late, and I don’t want to misunderstand what you’re saying.”

Maggie sounded relieved.

“Okay, yeah. When?”

Alex thought over her days for the rest of the week. She settled on her weekly time to herself where she spent some time alone or with Kara and just did non-mother things. Somebody was always willing to watch Adalie for her. This week it was Kara.

“I have some time on Thursday from four to eight?”

Maggie answered quickly.

“I’ll make it work.”

Alex ignored the jump of excitement in her chest and the way her stomach buzzed with something a lot like butterflies. 

“Okay.”

“Okay.” The silence grew slightly uncomfortable, and Alex was about to say her goodbyes when Maggie spoke again.

“Can I ask you something, Alex?”

There seemed to be a hesitancy, a weight to the question that made her unsure if she should say yes. She did anyway. 

“Yeah.”

Maggie took a deep breath.

“Why didn’t it work out with somebody else? For you, I mean.”

And her instincts had been spot-on. She was unsure whether she should answer, but this was Maggie, and Maggie had put her heart right out there with a high probability of being crushed. Alex could give her this.

“Because nobody was you.” She sighed. “Goodnight, Maggie.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

The next morning, Alex woke before her alarm to Addy jumping on the bed beside her. 

“Mama mama mama mama!”

Alex turned onto her side and curled into a ball, groaning. Her headache was minimal, but she felt exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. She heard Adalie drop down beside her, and then little hands were pulling at her arm.

“Mama!”

Alex rolled toward her daughter and captured her in her arms, sweeping her under the covers. Adalie giggled loudly and tried to squirm away. 

“No tucking. No sleeping!”

Alex grumbled at that, blowing a raspberry on her daughter’s cheek. 

“I’m sleeping. I can’t wake up.”

Adalie wriggled around in Alex’s arms so that she was facing her. She poked Alex’s cheek.

“Pancakes.”

Alex pretended to poke at her own cheek.

“This is a pancake?”

Addy giggled.

“No! I want pancakes.”

Alex grinned and finally let her go, collapsing back on the bed.

“Five more minutes.”

Addy made a noise of protest.

“That’s forever!”

Alex laughed and shoved the covers off of her body, trying to clear the fog in her brain as she shifted into a sitting position. 

“Fine. I will make pancakes now. But only for mama.”

Addy climbed into her arms and stared into her eyes very seriously.

“Mama, you have to share.”

Alex kissed her nose. 

“You’re right, baby. Come on. We’ll make blueberry pancakes.”

“Choc chip.”

Alex trudged toward the bathroom.

“Not today, Trouble.”

Alex chuckled at the little huff that sounded from Adalie, and she quickly brushed her teeth and splashed the sleep off of her face. 

They made the familiar journey down the steps, Addy successfully jumping while holding her hand, and Alex gave in and put a couple chocolate chips among the blueberries. 

Whenever Adalie woke her up before her alarm, Alex prepared for a long day. It made it impossible to get her run in, as Addy would most likely interrupt her several times instead of playing calmly. Instead, Alex sat at the table with her daughter and pulled out the mechanical silver squares with turquoise letters on them that Winn had crafted for Addy. 

They had tiny processors in them, and when connected to other letters, they shined two colors: red if the connected pieces aren’t a word, rainbow if they are. They came out regularly whenever Lena, Winn, or Kara were around. Alex didn’t use them often, as she want Addy to know they were special, and she wanted her daughter to remain excited about building words. 

As soon as Addy saw the wooden box they were kept in, her eyes widened and she clapped.

“Pretty words!”

Alex smiled and settled into the seat beside her daughter after putting their empty plates in the sink. 

“Alright. What word do you want to spell first?”

Alex already knew the answer before asking. Addy grinned.

“My name.”

Alex watched as her daughter search for her letters within the pile. There was one uppercase of each letter, and two lowercase. She found the big A, placing it carefully before her. She found the d and the next a, and she slowly connected them in the right order. She was always quick to locate the letters, but Addy never rushed the placement. It was something Alex found adorable and so unlike what one would expect from a five-year-old.

They spent the morning spelling out ‘Adalie,’ and ‘Mama,’ and ‘Lena.’ They went through all the names of the super family, and then they moved onto big words that Lena and Alex taught her. It was a productive morning, and Alex found herself just as excited as her daughter whenever the word lit up like a rainbow to let her know she was right. 

By the time she was driving Adalie to school, she felt very accomplished as a parent, and totally behind as an agent. Her first order of business upon arrival at the DEO would be to run or spar for an hour. 

Addy gave her a kiss on the cheek and squealed out a goodbye before speeding away toward the school. Alex watched her walk through the doors with one of the adults outside before driving off. 

Upon her arrival at the DEO, Alex snatched Vasquez from a blabbering Winn and asked for a quick spar. A quick spar turned into two hours of gruesome battle ranging from fists to bo-staffs to a knife fight using rubber weapons. By the time they finished, Alex collapsed tiredly onto the ground and closed her eyes, panting. Susan wasn’t far behind. 

“Jesus...Christ, Danvers. What’s got you...so wired?”

Alex didn’t attempt to answer until her breathing had calmed to the point where it wouldn’t interrupt her speech.

“I had to skip my workout this morning.”

Vasquez scoffed.

“No way in hell was this similar to you morning routine. I haven’t worked this hard in months.” She looked over to give Alex a look. “What is actually going on? You called a drunk-night last night. You seemed alright by the time you left.”

Alex clenched her jaw and then released, her stomach twisting. She still didn’t know if she had made the right call. She knew most of her friends would say she hadn’t. Most of them would probably lose their shit and tell Alex to call it off. Susan Vasquez was not most people. 

“Maggie called me last night. I’m meeting with her on Thursday. To talk.”

Vasquez was silent as she processed the information. Her tone didn’t sound disappointed or worried or frustrated. She just sounded like Susan. 

“I’m assuming she didn’t just call you up out of nowhere. What happened before last night that had you get all of us together?”

Alex huffed.

“You would be right. I ran into her at Addy’s school. She’s Miss S.”

Susan hummed.

“What an interesting turn of events.”

Alex chuckled and covered her eyes with an arm. 

“Tell me about it.”

Vasquez remained silent for several seconds before inquiring further.

“So, you’re meeting with her.”

Alex sighed.

“Yeah, God, Vas. She just—“ Alex shook her head. “Honestly, I’ve tried for so long to get over her and I just, I can’t.”

Susan is always the practical one in the group. All members of the super fam are incredibly intelligent, but strict pragmatism is something in which Susan Vasquez accels. 

“You have Adalie. Maggie doesn’t want kids.”

Alex pinched the bridge of her nose and grimaced.

“I know. I know. But she said that she wasn’t honest before, when we broke up. I have to know what she means.”

She heard Susan sit up, but she didn’t open her eyes to see if she was looking at Alex or just fed up enough with the conversation to walk away. 

“Weigh the pros and cons.”

Alex shook her head.

“I can’t. I know what I would find if I did that.”

“Do you? I think that the reason you’re doing this is because you’ve always decided that it’s worth it. So look at the reasons why. Really look. Weigh the pros and cons in detail. Then decide again, although I think you’ll find yourself at the same conclusion.” 

Alex opened her eyes and found Vasquez looking down at her. Susan reached out and helped Alex to her feet. 

“I have to go meet with Lucy to discuss an undercover mission. Let me know if you need to continue discussing this.”

Alex nodded gratefully and then frowned.

“Wait, I had a question. Is something going on with you and Luce?”

Vasquez smiled a bit at the question, and she looked at her feet for a moment. It’s the closest the woman could come to being embarrassed.

“We’ll see. I hope so.”

And then she walked out of the room, leaving Alex to do with that information as she willed. 

~<€~<€~<€~<€

The rest of Alex’s Tuesday went by quickly. A situation in downtown required the assistance of Supergirl, but Kara had handled it before Alex had even finished suiting up. 

Wednesday passed even faster, Alex spending most of it dealing with a hostage situation involving alien tech at a bank. That cleared up just before Alex picked up Adalie, and she had taken her daughter to the aquarium with Winn and Kara because they’d just gotten a baby shark. 

It had been an eventful trip, with both Kara and Winn oohing and awing louder than her five-year-old. Addy has been more interested in the colorful fish, asking all kinds of questions to the point that Alex had asked a guide to come over and answer them. 

“Do fish breathe water? Is this fish the fastest? How many fish are there in the world? What's your favorite color fish? Can I hold one?”

The worker had seemed thrilled and had excitedly answered all of Addy’s questions. When they finally left, much to Alex’s joy and the rest’s despair, she felt she knew more about sea creatures than she ever cared to. But she loved the way her daughter’s brain worked, and the way it retained information at such a young age. Even though all three had been there with her, Addy still regaled them with the exact same information she’d been told the entire way home. 

That night, Addy did her homework, Alex read a few pages of “Where the Sidewalk Ends” with her, and Addy has conked out quickly. 

That left Alex sitting alone in her room, dreading the next day. She wanted to see Maggie again more than anything in the world, but she also didn’t know if she could handle it. She’d put off Susan’s suggestion until now, afraid of receiving either answer, but Alex knew it was a good idea. 

She got out a piece of paper and wrote pros/cons. She started with cons. 1) I’m not over Maggie. This might be frighteningly painful. 2) Maggie could be hurt by this. 3)..... 

Alex spent several long minutes trying to think of a third con, but there really weren’t any other reasons she could think of that didn’t fall under those two categories. She started on the pros. 1) Maggie will be there and I’ll get to see her. 2) new information could come to light. 3) new information could change everything. 4) even if it doesn’t work out like I want, Adalie is the most important. I’ll overcome. 5) some sense of closure?

Alex blew out a slow breath, staring at the sheet in front of her. She was terrified and excited and those two things together made her feel like vomiting. Susan was right. This hadn’t changed the answer, but she felt more secure in it, and she was able to fall asleep after. 

~<€~<€~<€~<€

The next morning, her unrest returned, and she found herself running six miles instead of her usual five. She didn’t know what to do with the excess energy she was feeling, and she knew that as much as she wanted time to stop and give her a longer period in which to think and rethink, she was going to be seeing Maggie today. 

The nerves and the urge to cancel built on the way to Maggie’s school, then increased exponentially on the way to work. Despite her pros and cons, she’d begun to think that using logic in a situation that was overwhelmingly emotional might not have allowed for all options. It was all well and good to say that she would be able to walk away, that she could leave Maggie again, but the more she thought, the harder it was for her to imagine. She knew, despite trying to fight it, that a little spark of hope had sliced its way past her barriers to reside just on the edge of piercing her heart. 

It prodded and poked, looking for a weakness to exploit. Alex pulled into the DEO garage with a clenched jaw and a heavy heart. She felt trapped, knowing how incapable she was of changing whatever happened later that day. Maggie could destroy her with her secret, or she could change everything. 

Alex had just gotten out of her car and slammed the door when a bustle of activity and a buzzing began to sound throughout the facility. The loudspeaker, only used for serious emergencies, crackled to life. J’onn spoke through it. 

“Attention all Agents, an alien spacecraft has just been spotted entering our atmosphere. We are unsure of its disposition or nature. Gear up and report to the garage immediately.”

Alex swore and took off at a sprint to find her gear. Her phone began buzzing and she answered as she bolted down the corridor. 

“Winn, what’s happening?”

Winn sounded a bit frantic. 

“We don’t know. It looks like there is only one ship, but the technology being used is outside anything we can trace or understand. Our monitors are just reading empty space in the form of a ship taking up about eighty yards long, forty wide. Supergirl doesn’t recognize it.” 

Alex slammed through doors and fell into a group of women and men heading the same direction.

“Where is Supergirl?”

Her sister answered.

“I’m in the sky, a mile out from the ship.”

The familiar drop in Alex’s chest has her clenching her jaw and fists before answering. 

“Don’t engage, Supergirl. Winn, keep trying initiate contact.”

By the time Alex had strapped up and taken charge of the gathered units, J’onn had already taken four teams to site. The situation was delicate, as nobody knew there was a goddamn alien spacecraft floating above their heads. The NCPD had been contacted and asked to keep the highway sectioned off. Luckily, it had chosen to come to a stop outside the city and away from thousands of lives. 

Alex ordered her teams to roll out and they tore out of the DEO at record speed, choosing to remain out of the air in case of some kind of attack. When she arrived, she found Lucy and Vasquez on scene, talking with J’onn and Supergirl. Her sister looked pissed.

“I’m just saying that I could take a closer look. Winn hasn’t been able to contact them yet, and--”

J’onn held out a hand. 

“No. It’s too dangerous. We don’t know anything about them.”

Kara glanced toward the sky. 

“We can’t just stare at it all day, J’onn.”

Vasquez stepped in.

“Give Winn a bit more time. He did say he finally found a frequency reading. He doesn’t know what it is, but it might just allow us to reach them.”

Alex came to a stop beside Lucy.

“No movement?”

Lucy shook her head, squinting up at the sky. 

“Whatever distortion or cloaking shield they have up is fucking unbelievable. The space it’s supposed to be doesn’t look different at all, but if it wasn’t invisible, it’d be easily seeable from this distance.”

Alex glanced around at the gathered. They’d strategically spaced their agents out, keeping several a couple miles out in various directions. She found her sister’s determined eyes and gave her a hard look; a look that said “don’t you freaking dare do something stupid.” 

Winn’s voice sounded over the coms, obviously frustrated.

“I’m getting absolutely nothing here guys, I’m not--”

A high-pitched squeal spread through the com devices, and Alex grimaced and waited for it to pass. She was slammed with a wave of energy, greenish in color, and a feeling of dread washed over her. She watched as Kara’s face drained of color and her body slumped before collapsing to the ground. She ran to her sister, dropping to the ground by her body and quickly checking her pulse. It was steady, but Alex knew that whatever wave just passed somehow contained an airborne Kryptonite. A light voice, one Alex didn’t know, sounded in their coms.

“Do not worry for the Kryptonian, she will be well.”

J’onn spoke before Alex could.

“Who is this? What is your purpose here?”

The voice responded, calming and smooth.

“Our people will not be known to you. Our purpose is complete.”

Lucy scoffed.

“If you think we’re just going to let you--”

She drew to a halt when Susan’s hand settled on her shoulder. Alex took over, recognizing a lack of malicious intent.

“Have you harmed our planet or the people on it in any way?”

“You are safe.”

The same sound, this time less loud, flared through the coms and cut out. Winn spoke somewhat frantically.

“They’re gone. They just vanished.”

J’onn studied the sky for several long moments, and Alex turned her attention back to her sister. She motioned a medical team over. 

“Check her over and get her ready to travel.”

Returning her attention back to J’onn, she frowned. He seemed relatively unbothered by the turn of events. 

“Do you know who they were?”

J’onn crossed his arms and brought his attention from the sky to her.

“I am. . . uncertain. Go with your sister. And call Lena.”

Alex’s brow furrowed at the deflection, but she decided to push him on it later. The medical team leader approached. 

“She’s sustained no injury, this seems almost like a solar flare.”

Alex nodded, a sense of relief flooding her.

“Let’s get her back to the DEO.”

She pulled out her phone and began walking with purpose toward a vehicle, leaving J’onn to deal with the return. As soon as she was in the driver’s seat, she took a deep breath and called Lena. She’d had to do this before, Kara’s job being as hazardous as it is, but it was always difficult. 

“Alex, what’s happened?”

Alex frowned.

“How do you know--”

“I work on advanced tech, you don’t think I would pick up the strange mass in the air?”

Alex could hear the fear, the panic raising in Lena’s voice. 

“She’s okay, Lena.”

Lena took a deep breath and let it out. 

“I’ll be at the DEO in twenty.”

Alex started pulled onto the empty highway, repeating herself just for good measure.

“Lena, she’s alright. Be safe on your way out. I’ll see you soon.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

Alex arrived at the DEO soon after ending the call with Lena, and she went to check on her sister for a confirmed status of recovery. She waited until Lena arrived, face drawn with worry, and she showed her friend Kara’s charts and her expected recovery timeline and hugged her tightly before heading toward the aftermath meeting room. She’d already begun writing up her report and various conjectured opinions by the time that Lucy arrived. 

“How’s Kara?”

Alex ran a tired hand through her hair. 

“She’s okay. It’s the same symptoms as a solar flare. No powers.”

Lucy dropped gracelessly into a chair. 

“Jesus. I’ve never experienced anything like that before. You notice J’onn being all dodgy?”

Alex scoffed.

“Of course. He should be here soon. We can approach the conversation again.”

True to that, J’onn and Vasquez arrived a few minutes after. They spent the better part of an hour discussing the statistics and data points of the response teams and the facts of the mission itself before Alex changed the subject. 

“Who were they, J’onn?”

The Martian sat up straighter in his seat. 

“I am not completely sure who they are, but I do believe I’ve had a similar experience before. You will have to allow me some time before I can discuss this further.”

Alex knew not to argue. Lucy did not.

“Woah, what? Are you serious? That was a completely unknown, unreadable spacecraft right about our city? Specifically our city? It just comes and leaves and you know something, but won’t say it? That’s bull shit.”

J’onn leveled a stern look at her. 

“Major Lane, I suggest you watch yourself. You are a visitor here.”

Alex held up a hand before Lucy could become more aggravated. She could see that J’onn was not backing down. 

“Let’s just reconvene tomorrow for discussion. For now, we need to put out feelers and really make sure nothing has been affected by the alien presence. I’ll work with Winn to run some tests and scans. Lucy, check with your military connections all over the world and make sure they haven’t noticed something strange.”

Lucy clenched her jaw but nodded teresely before pushing her chair back and leaving the room stiffly. Susan followed. Alex stood and watched her boss for a moment. 

“We will discuss this tomorrow, correct?”

J’onn nodded slowly. 

“We will.”

~<€~<€~<€~<€

By the time Alex was leaving to get Adalie, she felt worn out. She’d done almost nothing but paperwork all day, but the stress of such an unknown entity and then seeing her sister crumple to the ground had been like running two marathons. Her eyes were tired and her head hurt immensely, but she still tried to smile when Haley walked over to her car. She tried even harder when Adalie climbed in and began excitedly telling her about the experiment she did in her class.

But it was Thursday, the day where she got to relax. Where Kara would… Alex bit back a sigh. Kara was currently at home with Lena recovering, and there was no way Alex would think to spring Adalie on them. And Alex had Maggie. She was supposed to meet with Maggie. The absolute insanity of the day had wiped that pending meeting from her mind, good for a time, but now it was back in full-force and ready to have her barfing out her car window. She knew it was very last-minute to spring a babysitting gig on anyone at this point, but she also knew that cancelling on Maggie would only prolong the inevitable discussion. Alex blew out a quiet breath and then glanced back at her daughter, who was currently singing along to the radio. 

“Hey, Trouble. What do you think about seeing Miss S?”

Addy’s eyes blew wide, and the smile that broke out on her face had Alex melting. 

“Miss S! She come over?”

Alex shook her head quickly. She didn’t think she could handle Maggie being in her home, especially being with Adalie in her home. 

“She can’t come over, but I’ll ask her where she wants to go, okay?”

Addy wiggled in her booster and squealed, and Alex’s heart broke just a bit at how attached her daughter was to the ex love of her life. 

When they arrived home, Adalie easily agreed to do her homework in the kitchen so that they’d have time to go see Miss S, and Alex walked into the empty area meant for an office of some sort to call Maggie. She answered on the second ring. 

“Alex, hey.”

She could hear the hesitation, like Maggie expected her to cancel. 

“Hey. There’s been a bit of a change of plans. Kara was supposed to watch Adalie tonight, but something happened.”

“Is she okay?”

Alex’s chest warmed at the genuine concern still there for her sister. She smiled. 

“Yeah, she’s recovering with Lena. I don’t want to cancel, but--”

“Al, it’s fine. I totally understand.”

Alex shook her head. 

“No, that’s not, I just wanted to make sure you’re okay if. . .Adalie comes?”

Maggie was silent on the other end for several moments. 

“I don’t mind at all, Alex. As long as you’re comfortable. It’s okay if you want to reschedule.”

Alex looked at the wooden floors beneath her, wondering if the triggers in her chest would always be so sensitive to Maggie Sawyer. 

“Adalie was so excited when I told her. She thinks you’re the coolest.”

Maggie chuckled softly. 

“She’s pretty cool herself. Where do you want to meet?”

Alex leaned against the wall.

“Somewhere she’ll be entertained enough for us to talk.”

“I think I know just the place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was actually really difficult for me to write. I don't know how I feel about it. I'm thinking about taking it down and starting from scratch. 
> 
> Let me know what you thought.


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